Tokyo Tournament
by G.O.T. Nick
Summary: Yugi and co. are invited to a Duel Monsters tournament in Tokyo. Story Complete.
1. Invitations

I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Commenting from a little less than a year after I wrote this: ...this is embarrassing to me...  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter One: Invitations  
Also Entitled: First Day of Summer  
  
In the city known as Domino, the schools had officially closed for summer vacation, a time that approximately (static) thousand youths had been looking forward to for a whole year.  
  
Among these (static) thousand students was Yugi Moto, who was currently doing what many students do with their spare time: sleeping. He had set his alarm clock for 7:15 am, a time which he considered late, as he normally spent from 9:00 to 6:00 sleeping.  
  
However, as all teens and preteens do, Yugi slept through part of his alarm.  
  
Downstairs, his parental guardian and grandfather Solomon Moto was sweeping in front of the shop, while trying to ignore the constant –BEEP-BEEP-BEEP- BEEP- and praying that the residents of the surrounding shops would be able to do so as well.  
  
Thankfully, Yugi was able to muster the energy to roll over and press the "sleep" button after a few minutes. Before he could roll back over and get additional sleep in, however, he found out the hard way that he had rolled to far the first time, the hard way being the floor connecting with his nose after a two-foot drop. Sitting up and rubbing the point of contact, he glanced at the clock; he suddenly found energy in his discovery. "WHAT!?! IT'S 7:17!?! I SLEPT IN!" With that, he rushed about his room getting dressed, threw his chain and Millennium Puzzle about his neck, quickly dropped into the bathroom to do whatever he does to keep his hair tri- colored and spiky, and blasted down the stairs to collect the mail before the clock had changed to 7:18. Unable to stray to far apart from the Puzzle, the Puzzle's spirit, Yami, moaned and drowsily followed Yugi down the stairs.  
  
'I hate it when he does this,' thought Yami, 'Just because he can wake up whenever he wants doesn't mean I should have to get up with him.'  
  
The pharaoh soon joined Yugi and Solomon downstairs, though Yugi was the only one who recognized his presence. Before Yugi could ask a question of his grandfather, the answer was given, "The mail is on the counter inside."  
  
Almost before the words had left his grandfather's mouth, Yugi was at the counter shuffling through the mail. "Bill, bill, bill, bill, junk, junk, junk, here we go, Duelist's Digest." He quickly passed the magazine to Yami before going through the mail once again.  
  
Yami went through the magazine quickly, /We're at the top, of course. Hmm, Pegasus has apparently begun to duel again, though it says that he has been dueling people at his level, and this picture shows him without his Eye./ Indeed, there was a picture of Pegasus dueling, and against a rather experienced person. Also, the Millennium Eye, which he had used to his advantage in the Duelist Kingdom Tournament against Yugi and Yami was not present. Yami continued, /Kaiba's near the top, and Joey. But wait, I'm seeing quite a few new names here. Looks like there are some great duelists who didn't attend the Battle City Tournament./  
  
Yugi had only been half listening, as he was still going through the mail, "bill, bill, junk, a Victoria's Secret catalog?"  
  
Yami quickly snatched away the magazine. /-Ahem- um, I think there must have been a mistake, um, what else is there?/  
  
"Well, let's see, junk, bill, hey! I may have already won ten thousand dollars!"  
  
/Junk./  
  
"Right. Bill, bill, hey, what's this? You're invited..." Quickly tearing the envelope open, Yugi read its contents aloud.  
  
"To Mr. Yugi Moto, you are invited to attend the next Duel Monsters Tournament in Tokyo! You may bring with you up to three friends or family members, for you are the top duelist in the world. You will fly first class with your friends and the other top 19 duelists in the world to attend this tournament. If you wish to accept this offer, please sign, and also have your guardian sign as well. Have your three friends do the same.  
Sincerely,  
Alexander Cerberus,  
Manager of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament  
  
"Alright! I have to tell Joey!"  
  
/Don't worry about that,/ Yami told him, /Joey will have received an invitation as well. I think that we should really just worry about asking your grandfather./  
  
"Right!" Yugi dashed outside to talk to Solomon. After quickly explaining, Yugi began pleading. "So can I go, please, please, please, PLEASE?"  
  
"Calm down Yugi, of course you can go, after all, all your friends will be there, so I'm sure you'll be fine. But before you ask them anything, I think you should eat something."  
  
"Eat? I can't eat, I'm too excited! I'm-," but Yugi was cut off by the loud groan of his stomach. Blushing slightly, Yugi rushed inside the shop and began to prepare his breakfast.  
"Hey, what's this?" mused Joey Wheeler as he tore open the envelope covering his own invitation.  
Recognized duelists across the globe were receiving invitations to the tournament in Tokyo. Six of them talked amongst themselves.  
  
"So, the tournament is being held by Cerberus, is it?"  
  
"Yes, the same one who possesses the lost Millennium Item."  
  
"Actually, he possesses one of the three lost Items."  
  
"You're right, but really there's only one that's still lost."  
  
"I still don't think it was destroyed. Someone must have found it."  
  
"True, and I have a strange feeling about this tournament my friends. I believe the pharaoh will be tested soon. I also sense that something of great power awaits us. Why hasn't he said anything?" The last comment was made as he pointed his figure at the figure that was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.  
  
"He is having a duel amongst his essences. He is preparing for the tournament."  
  
"Good, then let him be. I believe we will need all the practice we can. It will be a tough job to protect the pharaoh. Even with his friends to help him, he is in grave danger."  
Deep within the recesses of the mind of the one who sat concentrating, a duel was about to commence. The two figures shuffled their decks and placed them before them. Six other figures watched from a short distance away. Both duelists drew their hands. The figure on the left went first. He examined his hand and watched as white light formed in front of him in the shape of the number 4000. The same was happening in front of his opponent. He pondered what to do with the cards he had drawn (House of Adhesive Tape, Eatgaboon, 7-Completed, Bombardment Beetle, Man-Eater Bug). His opponent did likewise (Invitation to a Dark Sleep, Ooguchi, Mystic Lamp, Mystical Elf, Waboku).  
  
The first figure then drew a card (Destruction Punch) and announced his action. "I play a card face-down in defense mode (Man-Eater Bug-450/600) and end my turn," the single card appeared enlarged in front of him as he said this.  
  
His opponent then went, drawing a card (Wall of Illusion) before announcing, "I also play a card in defense mode (Mystical Elf-800/2000) and another card face down (Waboku) and end my turn."  
  
His opponent quickly went. He looked at the card he had drawn (Torrential Tribute) and said, "I lay a card face down (Torrential Tribute) plus a face- down defense mode monster (Bombardment Beetle-400/900). Now I'll flip my face-down Man-Eater Bug, and destroy your face down card!" The two cards appeared on the field, and the original flipped up, revealing an enormous brown bug, which trudged towards the face-down Mystical Elf, holding up the card as it momentarily appeared as the blue humanoid before being thrust extremely close to the bug's mouth and shattered into millions of tiny bits. "I now end my turn."  
  
The second figure considered how he could keep his opponent from simply destroying his monsters every turn. As he drew a card (Paralyzing Potion) he recalled the facedown Waboku. Even if his opponent were able to destroy a monster he summoned, his life points would be protected. "I play a card face-down (Spellbinding Circle) and the Wall of Illusions (1000/1850) in attack mode!"  
  
But as the red wall with a purple face emerged, the first figure acted. "You activated my Trap Card, Torrential Tribute, and it will destroy all monsters on the field!" The card in front of him flipped up, and water blasted forth from it like a geyser, washing away the Man-Eater Bug, Bombardment Beetle, and Wall of Illusion. "And now it's my turn," he drew his card (Blast Juggler-800/900) and immediately set it down, "I'll just play this card face down and end my turn."  
  
The second figure began his turn, drawing a card (Cannon Soldier) and smiled before announcing, "I play the Cannon Soldier (1400/1300) in attack mode, and attack your face-down card!" The purple humanoid robot with a long black cannon replacing its head emerged, then fired a blast at the face-down card, momentarily revealing the orange, grim-faced metal ball before it exploded into thousands of pieces. "Your turn."  
  
The first figure drew a card (Infinite Dismissal), and began to sweat slightly. He set the card down without a word and motioned for his opponent to go. The second figure drew (Mystical Elf) and said, "I play Mystical Elf (800/2000) in attack mode! And now both my monsters will attack your life points!" Both machine and elf rushed towards the light-constructed Life Point meter, and as they struck it the number changed from 4000 to 1800. The first figure took his turn, looking at the card he had drawn (Acid Trap Hole) and shaking his head.  
  
This was enough to tell the second figure the duel was over. He drew a card (Swords of Revealing Light) and had to stifle a chuckle. Ordering his two monsters attack, he simply watched as his opponent's Life Points dropped to 0.  
  
There were no hard feelings between the two, as they had known each other for a long time and had simply dueled as practice to see what improvements could be made to their decks. They exchanged places with two of the people who had been watching and prepared for what was to come in Tokyo, just as many others were doing at that very moment.  
  
So, there you go, the first chapter has been completed. Please Review! I would like to know if there are people who actually are reading this! Also, if you know anyone who might like to read this, please tell them about it. There isn't any advertisement on fanfiction.net. 


	2. Introductions

As said before, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Thanks to my reviewers. Response time.  
  
Chuck ZFB: I guess I could say it's an honor to receive a compliment from you. After all, you've got what, 180 reviews and over fifty chapters in your story. It would be good if you did advertise the story, but that's up to you, I'm not exactly desperate.  
  
SulliMike23: I got your email before your review, so in my response I said your name wrong (sorry) that tends to happen when I get anonymous emails. Thanks for reminding me about that Axe of Despair, I'd forgotten about it.  
  
DaBlack: I got your email, but review next time. It's easier. I'll see what I can do with Zachary Kiselob. Though I do need to know about some of those cards, and emailed you back. Thanks.  
  
Time Mage: Yeah, you were nice, nice enough that your one review showed up five times. As for that duelist who won, he's supposed to be powerful. He's going to be in the tournament's finals. It may be confusing how he appears, though. Of course you can send in a character, I should actually be the one asking you. Just send in the information at the bottom. You'll notice I've added a bit to it. Sure I'll check out your stories, as soon as I'm done typing this response. Thanks for sending in those cards for Rebecca. I'm sure they'll fit right in. As for your worries about copyright infringement, don't worry. Besides, people probably won't do something like say you stole a strategy someone else made up. Yes, I got your email. I'll make sure Kai finds a place in the finals.  
  
Wise Man Domingo: This will be a very long story. I'm planning on writing thirty or more duels throughout it. So, basically if you're going to check back, just make sure you do it this year.  
  
For anyone who didn't catch on, /this/ means Yugi and Yami speaking to each other mentally.  
  
On to the story now!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter Two: Introductions  
  
Also Entitled: A Flight to Remember  
  
The end of the week saw Yugi, Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Bakura searching for the plane that would take them to Tokyo. Solomon had come along to wish them goodbye, and Joey had taken Serenity along, as he was allowed to take one person with him.  
  
"Here we go," said Yugi after about ten minutes of wandering the airport, "Flight 198." Surprisingly, it seemed that they were the first ones there.  
  
"Hey, where is everyone?" Joey voiced everyone's thoughts well.  
  
"They're onboard," the answer came from Mokuba Kaiba, who stood just outside the Jetway (the bridge passengers use to board the plane), "I figured I should stay out here in case anyone else showed up. Everyone else's on the plane already."  
  
Greetings were quickly exchanged between Mokuba and the other seven. Solomon then said farewell. "Well, I should be getting back to the shop. Have a safe flight, and good luck in the tournament, you two."  
  
"Goodbye!" was the reply in unison.  
  
"Hey, you guys should check out this plane! They're only letting us use one room for now, but I hear it has everything!" With that, he led them inside the plane. Surprisingly, the jet's size was the same as any other, though it was meant to carry only about thirty people. As the seven teens emerged in the plane, they saw that they were the last ones to arrive.  
  
As soon as they were aboard, they were greeted by a stewardess, "Hello sirs and misses, please take your seats now, they're right up here." The seats in question were right up front. As Mokuba sat down next to his brother Seto in the second row, Joey and Serenity sat in the two seats opposite them. In the front row, Yugi and Tea sat in front of the Kaiba brothers while Tristan and Bakura sat in front of the Wheelers. The stewardess spoke again as soon as they were seated. "Attention, everyone. We will be taking off in a few minutes, so please make sure you are buckled up. As soon as we take off, you may talk amongst yourselves. Thank you."  
  
And so, a few minutes later the plane was soaring through the air smoothly. The stewardesses came in once again to announce that the passengers could get up and talk amongst themselves. Yugi and his friends soon found several familiar faces among those on the plane.  
  
Besides Kaiba, Mai Valentine, Weevil Underwood, Rex Raptor, Espa Roba, Rebecca Hawkins, and Mako Tsunami were also there. Much less welcome than anyone else there was the hated Bandit Keith (who doesn't deserve to be American!). Three other duelists announced themselves as Exodus, Larijin, and Mask, none of which wanted to reveal anything of their strategy. One of the duelists was engrossing himself in a newspaper, and everyone decided not to bother him. This was mostly because Rex Raptor did and went through a rather painful experience.  
  
The remaining five duelists, however, did not wait to be addressed. Striding forward in a group, they immediately went up to Yugi. The person at their head was roughly twenty years old, and his hair was strangely white on one side and black on the other. "Ah, Yugi Moto," he said with a smile, "what a pleasure to finally meet you."  
  
"Um, hi," Yugi responded a bit nervously. All five of these men were rather intimidating, though they seemed friendly enough.  
  
"Don't worry, you have nothing to fear from us. Though after the last few tournaments I can't really blame you. Allow us to introduce ourselves. You may call me Giyan. Everyone else does. This is Yamato," he shook Yugi's hand and motioned towards the large, muscular figure, whose features were covered by a trench coat, hat, black gloves, and boots. Even his face was covered by bandages and sunglasses, causing him to remind Joey and Tristan of the movie Hollowman.  
  
"This," Giyan continued as Yamato's immense hand completely covered Yugi's and the others' as he shook them, "is Lin." The man to Giyan's right nodded and shook each of their hands in turn. He was dressed in a strange blue tunic and cap. His hair was an orange-blonde. "Kirbin," Giyan went on as the otherwise normal 18-year-old with pink hair nodded, "and, finally, Term." The last boy seemed the most ordinary of the five. He was dressed in ordinary street clothes and his short black hair was combed forward, making him seem like an ordinary teenager. The only things noticeable about him were his eyes. His eyes were gray and plain, yet always quick and intent. They never blinked, at least, not unless those watching him blinked at the same time. That was his only distinguishing feature, other than his touch. His hands were ice cold.  
  
"I hope I will be able to duel you, Yugi Moto, and I hope it will be a duel to remember," Yugi simply nodded in agreement, and they shook hands once again.  
  
It soon was revealed as to why the plane was as large as it was. By now everyone had returned to their seats and was sitting quietly. The stewardess came out once again to make an announcement. "Attention. If you wish, you may proceed two rooms back now." Most of the duelists needed no second bidding, as curiosity was enough. Those who did not soon proceeded with them.  
  
After passing through what was obviously a dining room, the duelists came into an arcade! (So what if it's farfetched? What year does this show take place in anyway, and these guys are flying first class.) There were about ten pinball machines alone, plus shooting games, fighting games, racing games, you name it. Best of all, it was soon discovered that there were no coin slots (for those of you who can't make the connection, that means it's free). Yugi and Bakura jumped into two of the six seats for one game and pressed the "Start" buttons to begin racing. They were soon joined by Mokuba and Term. Joey and Tristan found a shooting game and began blasting away terrorists. Weevil, Bandit Keith, Espa Roba, and Kirbin all joined a fighting game and tried to beat each other's brains out. Rex Raptor jumped in the seat of a Jurassic Park game and yelled insane things about stopping reptiles from creating an uprising over their master. To Tea's delight, there was a dance game, which she eventually overloaded with her abilities. Mai, Giyan and Lin were all playing Gauntlet. Mako had discovered a fishing game and began to heave in fifty-pound catches. Rebecca found that there was a teddy bear in the Crane Game that looked exactly like her own and quickly began trying to win it.  
  
After awhile, Yamato joined Joey and Tristan after they had lost for the seventh time. "Stupid flamethrowers," and other such comments were being made.  
  
"Here, let me help," Yamato took up another one of the guns and instantly seemed invincible, dishing out headshots like a Japanese chef dishes out food. Both Joey and Tristan were awed by his amazing marksmanship.  
  
Meanwhile, Mokuba had just won a race against the other three boys. He seemed to be having the time of his life. "C'mon, Seto," he pleaded to Kaiba, "there's still two seats left."  
  
Kaiba, who had been standing and watching his brother play, finally relented, "Oh, fine." He jumped in the seat and began yelling out challenges to Yugi and Bakura, "loser has to shine the winner's shoes for a week!"  
  
"Then I hope you don't mind that I wore these shoes a year ago!" cried Term, generating laughs among all five of them.  
  
Several minutes later, the five racers were approaching the home stretch. However, this was on of those games where you race on a highway, meaning it's very easy to collide with cars that aren't racing. Currently, Bakura was in the lead, with Yugi, Kaiba, Mokuba, and Term following in that order. But Bakura soon crashed into a huge eighteen-wheeler and spun out of control. The huge truck overturned, blocking the path that the racers were taking. Yugi and the Kaiba brothers had to turn aside or risk the same fate as Bakura.  
  
But Term's eyes blazed with determination. Using Bakura's car as a ramp, he used it to leap over the immense vehicle, doing a barrel roll and landing on its other side before pouring on the gas and taking the checkered flag.  
  
Just then, the stewardess came in and spoke into a megaphone, "Attention, please. Lunch is ready. Anyone not in the dining room in thirty seconds will be excluded from eating. Thank you."  
  
Term and the others got up from their chairs, the former giving a slight bow as the others gave a short applause on his daring stunt. Kaiba still spat out challenges, though.  
  
"I bet I could eat more than you, though."  
  
"Hah! You could eat five whales and not even come close to me!"  
  
"Really? Well I could stomach more than all four of you put together!"  
  
"Don't count on it! I could eat so much that you could lock me in a grocery store and find it empty the next day!"  
  
"Probably because I joined you!"  
  
The last to leave the mini-arcade was Rebecca Hawkins, who gave one last try at the Crane Game and was rewarded by the bear falling down the chute. With a cry of triumph, Rebecca grabbed the bear and tore its head off before throwing it in the trashcan. "Yay, Teddy!" she spoke to her bear, "We killed your evil clone!" Adopting a deep voice, she spoke on the doll's behalf, "Yup, yup. We did it Rebecca!" With her deed done, Rebecca went to join the others in their meal. (what eight-year-olds are exposed to these days. . .)  
  
The dining room was designed like a small restaurant, with about ten round tables bolted to the floor all around the room. The chairs were also attached to the floor, but could be slid back and forth to allow a bit of comfort. One by one, different buffet tables were rolled in, the first being the soup and salad.  
  
(Note: If you ever want to be able to describe a meal like this in a story, I suggest you read the Redwall books)  
  
A variety of greens, cheeses, fruits, and dressings were available. Several loaves of white-wheat, wheat and French bread sat nearby. There was a large assortment of soups available. Drinks were at the end of the table, with both Coca-Cola AND Pepsi products plus several juices and of course milk and water.  
  
The main courses had every style of cooking, from pasta to seafood, from vegetarian to barbeque. Eight kinds of potatoes were available, plus several different kinds of rice. Vegetables were heaped in piles.  
  
As they ate, Yugi was able to catch a bit of the duelist who had been reading the newspaper. He was about twenty years old and tall at six feet with a slim but strong build. He was strangely garbed: a somewhat flat gray turban covered his blonde hair. He wore a gray strip of cloth with a strange red eye decoration as an eye-patch over his left eye. His mouth would normally have been covered by a gray garb, but he was too busy shoveling food into his mouth. The rest of his outfit was like that of an assassin, and alternated blue and gray in color. Yugi decided not to bother as they and everyone else were enjoying the food immensely.  
  
Soon the dessert table came in. On it were many pies: apple, blueberry, key lime, even peanut butter. Also, there was ice cream in all of the Baskin Robbins flavors. They were in cone, bowl and shake form. There were pastries as well: cookies, doughnuts, muffins (must. . . have. . . blueberry), on and on it went.  
  
Finally, after all of the twenty-five people were fit to burst, the buffet table was rolled away and they were allowed to return to the arcade room. Almost the rest of the flight was spent there, until, finally, the stewardess made one final announcement. "Attention. We are making our final approach on Tokyo. Everyone please return to their respective seats and buckle their seatbelts before we land. Thank you."  
  
So ended a very enjoyable flight. As the plane descended closer and closer to Egypt, however, everyone's minds shifted to Duel Monsters, and they peered about themselves at the other people aboard the plane. These same people whose company they had enjoyed would probably be the same people that they would face in the tournament, which was approaching closer by the second . . .  
  
So, there's chapter two. Please review me. 


	3. Instructions

No poseo Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Thanks to everyone for reviews.  
  
SulliMike23: Okay, sure, but maybe I'll just use the cards you sent me, there are too many warrior decks as it is.  
  
link the traveler: Yeah, I kind of figured that out. What I need is specific cards.  
  
Wise Man Domingo: Oh, come on, it's not that freaky.  
  
Time Mage: Weird for him to have that much hair.  
  
Chuck ZFB: Thunder? That's kind of weird, his deck has nothing to do with thunder. . .oh well. Thanks for advertising the story on Master of the Cards.  
  
On to the story!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter Three: Instructions  
Also Entitled: Why am I using so many "in-" prefixes?  
  
As the plane began to land, twenty duelists went over their decks to make sure that they were in order. Yugi only had to shuffle through his once to know that everything was there. At one point he stopped. There was the Egyptian God card, Slifer the Sky Dragon. He remembered what had become of the God cards then. He had given Obelisk the Tormentor back to Kaiba. The Winged Dragon of Ra he had given to his grandfather, who treated it just as he treated the Blue Eyes White Dragon that Professor Hawkins had given him. He wondered if the God cards would be a great factor in the coming tournament.  
  
Meanwhile, Joey was having very different thoughts. He went over his deck eleven times to make sure he had everything. Graceful Dice, Alligator Sword, Giant Trunade, Panther Warrior, Scapegoat, Time Wizard, Red Eyes Black Dragon. At the last two cards, he paused. Yugi had given him the Time Wizard just before Duelist Kingdom, and it had been the winning card in several duels. The Red Eyes Yugi had returned to Joey after the Battle City Tournament. During Yugi's first duel against the Exodia-using Rare Hunter, the boy had won back the card, which had been stolen from Joey. He offered it back to Joey, but he had refused. Finally, after the tournament had ended, Yugi had insisted on returning it. Both cards were strong representatives of their friendship.  
  
Smiling, Joey slid his deck into his pocket and waited for the plane to land, just as the other duelists were doing so. Each of them thought that a different person would win the tournament, though the one word that ran through their minds was, strangely, the same: Me.  
  
It was 6:00 pm when they landed. The flight had begun at 11:00 am, but the plane had been extremely slow. As the passengers filed out, they noticed several other planes flying in, carrying many other duelists. There were several people awaiting the flights, one of which escorted them outside to a bus. Several other buses were next to it, ready to take the duelists to the site of the tournament. After a twenty-minute ride, the duelists were ushered into a large building, where they were told to wait on the bottom floor.  
  
Gradually, the room began to fill as more and more duelists arrived. After ten minutes of waiting, a man spoke out from a balcony. He was wearing a normal black tuxedo and crimson sunglasses, and his hair was jet-black and slick. He smiled winningly at the large crowd below before commencing. "Welcome, duelists. My name is Alexander Cerberus, and I am the manager of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament. For those of you who competed in Seto Kaiba's Battle City Tournament, this should be nothing new to you. However, for those of you not familiar with the rules, I shall go over them now. Each duelists begins with 4000 life points, stronger monsters require sacrifices as follows . . ."  
  
Yugi was not listening, as he was instead speaking with Yami.  
  
/There's something strange about him./  
  
/What do you mean, Yami?/  
  
/I feel something strange is all. He also seems so familiar, like I've met him before./  
  
/Do you think he has a Millennium Item?/  
  
/Possibly. Also, there's something odd about that duelist on the plane./  
  
Yugi looked at the man garbed in gray and blue. /Yeah, he has social issues./  
  
/No! I mean I feel something radiating from him as well. Something different than a Millennium Item./  
  
/What do you think we should do?/  
  
/Just stay alert. He may not be an enemy./  
  
Yugi refocused his attention on Cerberus as he finished reviewing the rules. "Also, just as in the Battle City Tournament, the loser of each duel must present the winner with his rarest card. Information on the finals will be sent up to your rooms in the morning. You will sleep here for the evening. And so I wish you all a good night. I will see you again when the tournament commences." With that, he walked away, leaving the audience below to search for dinner.  
  
The search did not last long, as most people were smart enough to walk under the sign that said "Dining Room" in flashing lights.  
  
After the duelists had their meal, they left to find their rooms. Thankfully, a sign was posted just outside which let each duelist know where he or she would be staying. After seeing the clerk to get their keys, Yugi and his friends tried to find an elevator. Unfortunately, there was actually a line (after all, three elevators can't exactly carry five hundred people at a time. After another half-hour of waiting, they managed to finally cram themselves into one of the elevators and get to the top floor where they were staying. Just as Yugi was sliding the key into the door, Tea had an abrupt realization, "Um, where's Tristan."  
  
Heaving a sigh, Bakura said, "I'll go see if he's still on the bottom floor." With that, he slumped and trudged back to the elevators.  
  
"Okay, but be back as soon as you can."  
  
Yugi turned the key just as the elevator doors closed over Bakura. Swinging the door open, Yugi found a shocking sight. "Tristan!"  
  
Sure enough, the overcoat-bearing teenager was seated comfortingly in an armchair, flipping through channels on a wide-screen TV. "Oh, hi guys, I've been waiting like twenty minutes for you to show up."  
  
"How did you get here?"  
  
"Oh, I took the stairs."  
  
The response caused Yugi and Tea to do the ever-popular-only-in-an-Anime- face-fault.  
  
Recovering, Tea asked, "So, what's in here?"  
  
"Let's see, one double-bed, a TV, a chair, some blankets, a few pillows,"  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"No, that's not it, there's something even better than all of that put together!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Free ice!"  
  
"-sigh- and that's so great because. . ."  
  
"Did you or did you not here me? I said free ice! Fuh-ree ice. FREE ice! It's FREE."  
  
Boy, Tristan sure knows what's important in life.  
  
Ten minutes later, a very annoyed Bakura had returned. Now, the four (remember, Joey and Serenity get a separate room) were trying to decide who got to sleep in what. Yugi had found a way to solve the situation. "Okay, Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl get the bed, Buster Blader gets the chair and Summoned Skull the floor," he announced, shuffling the cards. He spread them out in front of him. Tea, Tristan, and Bakura each took one, and Yugi was left holding one. Tea had the Dark Magician Girl, Tristan the Buster Blader, Bakura the Summoned Skull, and Yugi was left with the Dark Magician.  
  
And so it was. Tristan was very happy with the chair, and he was first to doze off, snoring loudly. Bakura, having to cushion the area with many sheets and pillows, grumbled a bit but soon dozed off on the floor. Yugi and Tea, however, had a much harder time, as both were clinging hard on opposite sides of the bed, gazing wide-eyed in opposite directions and blushing for several hours before sleep finally overtook them.  
  
Sleep was over all occupants of the building that night. All save for one. The man garbed in black sat cross-legged on his bed, meditating. Though his body and mind rested, he was still preparing himself for what would come the next day.  
  
The next morning, duelists all found a package resting outside the doors to their rooms. As Yugi tore open his package, he was simultaneously trying to read the slip of paper that had accompanied it. Finally, the package's contents were revealed: a Duel Disk 2 and a white metal object that he discovered could be worn on the wrist. The object had a single obstruction on it, and on the rectangular jut there was a button. Pressing the button, he found a microchip set into the object. There was room for five more. As he examined it, Tea read the paper aloud. "This is the Key System (KS) which will be used during the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament. By wagering the microchips that you possess in duels, you can obtain more as you progress through the tournament. The tournament will take place in this hotel. When you have six microchips, and they are set in the LKS, the system will be able to open the door that leads to the basement, where all finalists must meet before the finals begin. There will be sixteen duelists in the finals. The winner will receive both two million dollars and have the opportunity to face Alexander Cerberus in a final duel, the prize being an additional three million dollars and a surprise bonus."  
  
"Great! Let's get downstairs, I think the tournament's going to begin soon."  
  
"Hold on there, Yugi," said Tristan, who was rummaging through the refrigerator that he had just discovered, "let's have some breakfast first."  
  
Yugi relented, and they had a hurried meal.  
  
As they arrived downstairs, they discovered the room to be packed. They had arrived just in time for Cerberus to make his announcement, "When I give the word, the tournament shall commence." All duelists, each equipped with a DD2 (Duel Disk 2) and a KS, clenched their hands in anticipation. Then, with a single uttered word, they sprang into action, "Now!"  
  
So, there it is, chapter three. It's probably not the best bit of writing I've produced, but wait 'til next chapter, I'll knock your socks off. . 


	4. The Tournament Begins

I do don't not own not Yu-Gi-Oh!  
  
Thanks to all who have reviewed me.  
  
Two deleted reviews: I wish I knew what you had said.  
  
link the traveler: Oh yeah, forgot about that Blue Eyes. . .  
  
Wise Man Domingo: Well, I hope this chapter is interesting enough for you!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter 4: The Tournament Begins  
Also Entitled: What A Couple of Losers  
  
Rex Raptor was eager to duel. Having been humiliated in Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, he was raring to prove himself again. As soon as Cerberus commenced the duel, Rex leapt at the nearest duelist and spat out his challenge, "Hey, you! I challenge you to a duel right here, right now!"  
  
The person he was addressing was Term. The black-haired teen slowly turned his gaze to the much shorter boy who stood glaring at him with his fists clenched. His face was a picture of cold, hard, sternness. His gray eyes blazed as he answered slowly, "So, my first challenger is Rex Raptor, the Dino Duelist." He snorted before continuing, "Well, isn't this pathetic." The comment caused Rex to growl and clench his fists even harder, but now Term began to make the duel public. He raised his arms and strolled about while loudly saying, "Place your bets, everyone, my friend Yamato will handle them. There are three categories you can bet on: the winner, the winner's final Life Points, and how many turns the duel lasts." Now, turning to a seething Rex, he calmly answered, "Your challenge is accepted."  
  
"Sir, there are people placing bets down there."  
  
Alexander Cerberus sipped his morning coffee and answered carelessly, "Well, don't worry about that. This duel may prove which people are willing to risk everything on a duel. Those that place wagers are the ones we should be watching in this tournament."  
  
"I understand, sir."  
  
Five minutes later, Yamato was standing with a sack of money in one hand and a long piece of paper listing all the wagers on it. Term walked a short ways from Rex before turning to face him. Both duelists took up challenging stances. The audience grew quiet.  
  
Yugi and his friends were standing beside Giyan, Yamato, Lin, and Kirbin. Yugi spoke quietly to Giyan. "You don't seem too worried. Your friend is about to duel and you aren't even enthusiastic about it."  
  
Giyan answered quietly, "There's no need to worry about Term. He is a very good duelist, and has held his own in many competitions. Rex may be tough, but his lack of Magic and Trap cards will be his downfall. In case you didn't notice, I myself put a pretty penny into that pot."  
  
The two duelists both shouted two words, silencing the two.  
  
"Let's duel!"  
  
As their Duel Disk 2's changed position and shot out twin holographic projectors, the crowd came to life. Voices were heard rooting for both duelists as their Life Points appeared on their Duel Disks.  
  
Rex: 4000 Term: 4000  
  
Rex slapped five cards off the top of his deck and peered at them (Mammoth Graveyard, Two-Mouth Darkruler, Uraby, Serpent Night Dragon, Armored Lizard). He grinned; his strongest card was already in his hand! He shouted across to Term, "You can go first, since you'll need the head start to avoid being stomped!"  
  
"You'll be the on who is stomped, Rex!" Term shot back, having seen his hand (Garnecia Elefantis, Hamburger Recipe, Senju of the Thousand Hands, Gaia Power, Call of the Haunted); he knew victory was already in his grasp. He drew his card (Battle Ox) and immediately set it down on his Duel Disk 2. "I play the mighty Battle Ox (1700/1000) in attack mode! And then I'll play the Field Card Gaia Power, which raises all Earth Monsters' attack points by 500 at a cost of 400 defense points! That changes my Battle Ox to 2200 attack points! Finally, I lay one card face down (Call of the Haunted) and end my turn."  
  
Several holographic images appeared. First, the Battle Ox, a minotaur-like creature in yellow and red armor wielding an axe with a large blade appeared, snarling and hefting its weapon menacingly. Next, a large tree grew rapidly out of the ground in the middle of the field. As soon as the tree had reached its full height, rays of light began cascading down between its branches. One of the light rays struck the Battle Ox, and it roared as its stats changed to 2200/600. Finally, a facedown card materialized behind the Battle Ox.  
  
Rex Raptor began to sweat nervously. With an attack power of 2200, the Battle Ox could take down any of the cards in his hand. He drew a card (Two- Headed King Rex) and thought for a few moments. Even with the power bonus, none of his cards could beat that attack strength. If he played Two-Headed King Rex in defense mode, one of his strongest monsters would be destroyed for nothing. It would be best to just play a weak card in defense mode. "I'll play one card facedown in defense mode (Armored Lizard) and end my turn." The single facedown card appeared.  
  
"Now it's my turn. Prepare to lose, Rex Raptor." He drew a card (Axe Raider) and went into action. "First, I'll play Senju of the Thousand Hands in attack mode (1400/1000)!" The statue appeared, each of its many hands sticking out in a different pattern. "His effect is that I can summon a Ritual Monster card from my deck to my hand. I choose the Hungry Burger. Now I'll play this magic card, the Hamburger Recipe. Now I can sacrifice my Garnecia Elefantis from my hand to summon the Hungry Burger (2000/1850) in attack mode!"  
  
As Hamburger Recipe was activated, a humanoid pig wearing a chef's hat and apron and bearing a spatula appeared. It took a large version of the Garnecia Elefantis card and began slicing it up on a grill that had appeared from nowhere with its spatula. Several members of the audience grimaced at the horrendous sight. Now the pig began roasting the chopped up material on the grill, and it began to look more and more like meat. When the pig was satisfied, he dished up the roasted patty and placed a slice of lettuce on either side of it, a slice of tomato on top, and finished by sticking it all between a sesame seed bun. Then the pig stuck a blue pendant with a red dot in its center on the top bun. The pig and its grill then disappeared, leaving behind a giant hamburger.  
  
Rex Raptor burst out laughing, "This is supposed to defeat me? Hahaha! Well, I really prefer my burgers well done, but I suppose this is fine. Hahaha!"  
  
Several of Rex's supporters joined him in jeering at the oversized hamburger. "I wouldn't laugh if I were you," Term silenced them, "It's called the Hungry Burger not because it's a fast food order, but because IT'S HUNGRY!" At his last words, needle-like teeth appeared about the Hungry Burger's circumference, and it opened like a mouth with a loud roar. "It's not you who will be eating the burger, Rex Raptor, it's the Hungry Burger that will be eating you! And I'm not done yet. I activate my facedown Call of the Haunted, and revive the Garnecia Elefantis that I sacrificed!"  
  
Garnecia Elefantis (2400/2000) clawed its way out of the ground. The large purple elephant was clad in a red and yellow breastplate and carried a large sword. The huge monster stood on its hind legs, ready to do battle. "And, since Garnecia Elefantis is an Earth monster, it gets a power boost from Gaia Power," Term reminded Rex. Sure enough, another ray of light from the large tree struck Garnecia Elefantis, which trumpeted as its power grew to 2900/1600.  
  
"Now to finish this duel! Hungry Burger, attack the facedown card!" The Hungry Burger flew at the card with its mouth wide. An instant later, the Armored Lizard was being held tightly in the Hungry Burger's jaws. The Armored Lizard then shattered into thousands of bits of data. "Now," continued Term, "Battle Ox, Garnecia Elefantis! Attack his Life Points directly and win us this duel!" The Battle Ox and Garnecia Elefantis charged at Rex. With axe and sword swinging, Rex's Life Points plummeted to 0 as the two beasts struck him.  
  
Rex: 0000 Term: 4000  
  
The holograms began to fade, and Rex dropped to his knees as his Duel Disk deactivated. Walking over, Term held out his hand. "Now, since I won, you have to give up your one chip and your rarest card. I'll take your Serpent Night Dragon."  
  
Wordlessly, Rex opened up his KS and pulled out the one microchip inside. He held it out along with his Serpent Night Dragon to Term, who took them and walked away.  
  
"Wow, that was amazing!" Yugi exclaimed. He and his friends were conversing with Term and the others while Yamato was paying back those who had bet on Term.  
  
"Not really," Term said with a great sense of modesty, "he's probably the worst top-ranked duelist I've ever faced. The only thing I have to brag about is this." He held up his KS, which now had two chips set into it. "Now I just need four more to get into the finals. Even the card I won is pretty useless in my deck."  
  
"I'll take it, then," Kirbin said, "It will fit in well with my Dragon deck."  
  
"At least it'll go to good use with you." Term grinned, and handed Kirbin the card.  
  
Yamato walked up to them, holding out some money to Giyan. After handing it over, he looked at Yugi and his friends, and calmly stated, "One of you is missing."  
  
"What are you talking about?" said Joey, "Nobody's missing, there's me, Yug, Serenity, Tristan, Bakura. . ."  
  
"Tea!" exclaimed Yugi, "Where's Tea?" Indeed, Tea was missing. With the large crowd around them and the excitement the duel had caused, no one had noticed her absence.  
  
Almost as if signaled by his discovery, a knife whirled out of the air and pinned itself next to his foot. Tied to the knife was a slip of paper. After a brief shock, Yugi read the paper aloud, "If you want to see the girl alive again, come to room 528. Alone." He crumpled the paper and ran off through the crowd. Joey attempted to follow, but Yugi turned around, saying, "No, Joey, this person seems like they mean business. They might kill Tea if you come!"  
  
Joey looked like he might argue for a moment, then stopped and slowly nodded in consent. Yugi ran off into the crowd once more.  
  
Yugi opened the door to room 528. The image inside caused him to gasp. Tea was gagged and bound, and dangling perpendicular to a bed of spikes. To the left of her was a large man. His black hair and rugged beard accompanied with his wild smile made him seem very primitive. About his forehead was a green headband, and attached to its back was a black squirrel tail. He wore alligator skin boots. Tiger stripes decorated the vest he wore. Dangling from his belt were many skins of dead animals. He also had a DD2 and a KS on his wrists. In his right hand was a saber.  
  
"Was wondering when you'd show up, mate," the man spoke with an Australian accent, "I'm Hunter, and you're Yugi Moto, the top duelist in the world." He planted the saber blade-down in the floor.  
  
"That's right. Do you want a duel?" Yugi enquired, trying his best not to attack the man.  
  
"Do I want a duel? Why do you think I brought you 'ere, mate?"  
  
"Why did you kidnap Tea?" Yugi spat out, failing to contain his anger.  
  
"For bait. I needed you to come to me. A hunter seeks out the greatest quarry. For me, that's to defeat you, and win your Slifer card. Now let's quit yammerin' on and duel already!"  
  
There was a flash from the Millennium Puzzle, and where Yugi had stood there was Yami. He glared at Hunter with his eyes blazing and said, "You have threatened the very life of my friend, and now you shall pay."  
  
With a whir as their Duel Disks activated, the duel began.  
  
Hunter: 4000 Yugi: 4000  
  
"I'll go first," Hunter stated.  
  
"Very well," Yami answered before examining his hand (Koumori Dragon, Light of Intervention, Summoned Skull, Brain Control, Light Force Sword).  
  
Hunter drew a card (Giant Rat) and added it to his hand (Milus Radiant, Beast Fangs, Forest, Leogun, Silver Fang) before announcing, "I'll play one card face down in defense mode (Giant Rat-1400/1450) and end my turn."  
  
Yami drew (Book of Secret Arts) and said, "I'll play two cards face-down (Light Force Sword, Light of Intervention) and the Koumori Dragon (1500/1200) in attack mode! Attack his facedown card!" The purple dragon appeared and charged at the facedown card, revealing a man-sized rat, which was immediately destroyed.  
  
"You've destroyed my Giant Rat!" Hunter exclaimed, "Which means I get to summon an Earth-Type Monster with 1500 or less attack to the field in attack mode. I choose Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1200)!" The large brown beast appeared, its frazzled black hair waving behind its head. There was a single yellow horn sprouting from its forehead.  
  
"Now it's my turn," stated Hunter, who drew a card (Mystic Horseman) and announced, "I'm playing the Milus Radiant (300/250) in attack mode! His effect raises all Earth Monsters' attack by 500, while decreasing all Wind monsters' by 400. That means he's at 800/250, and my Gazelle's at 2000/1200!" A large brown furred cat appeared, and gave a power boost to Gazelle. "And that's not all, I'm also playing the forest magic card, boosting all Beast-Type Monsters' attack and defense by 200. Finally I'm equipping Gazelle with Beast Fangs, giving him another 300 attack and defense points. That puts him at 2500 attack!" As several trees sprang up around the field, Milus Radiant and Gazelle received a power boost. Then metal jaws with long, sharp teeth appeared in Gazelle's mouth. Now Milus Radiant was at 1000/450 and Gazelle was at 2500/1700.  
  
"Gazelle, attack his Koumori Dragon! Milus Radiant, follow it up by attacking his life points!" Gazelle leapt at the dragon and ripped through it easily. Milus Radiant ran forward and bit Yami in the knee.  
  
Hunter: 4000 Yugi: 2000  
  
/He's pretty good./ Yami said to Yugi.  
  
Maybe, but we have the heart of the cards on our side. Yugi responded  
  
/You're right. Let's show him what that can do./  
  
"Alright, Hunter, it's my turn now. I'll start by activating my Light Force Sword! This will randomly select one card from your hand and remove it from play for three of your turns." The sword materialized and shot at Hunter's hand, spearing the Silver Fang. It was not the best time to have used the trap, but at least he had gotten rid of a monster. "And now I'll play the magic card Brain Control to take control of your Gazelle!" A large purple brain appeared. From it extended two long black arms, which grabbed the King of Mythical Beasts and dragged him to Yugi's field. "And now I'll sacrifice him to play the Summoned Skull in attack mode! Summoned Skull, attack Milus Radiant!" Gazelle was destroyed, and in its place came the large fiend, who immediately gathered electricity in its claws and fired it at the remaining monster on Hunter's field, destroying it.  
  
Hunter: 2500 Yugi: 2000  
  
Hunter growled in frustration. He drew his card (Chorus of Sanctuary) and set it on the field. "The Chorus of Sanctuary will increase the defense of all defense mode monsters by 500. So I play one card in defense mode (Mystic Horseman-1300/1400) and end my tur-"  
  
"You've activated my trap, the Light of Intervention, forcing you to play all your monsters face up." A bright light shone on the face down card, forcing the Mystic Horseman to appear, its stats now 1300/1900.  
  
"Now it's my turn," Yami drew (Alpha the Magnet Warrior) and set it down, "I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700) in attack mode. Summoned Skull attack the Mystic Horseman, Alpha, attack his Life Points!" Alpha the Magnet Warrior appeared with sword and shield in hand. The Summoned Skull sent a lightning bolt at the spear-wielding centaur. Alpha charged at Hunter and slashed at him, taking away a chunk of his Life Points.  
  
Hunter: 1100 Yugi: 2000  
  
Hunter drew (Prevent Rat) and grinned in triumph, "I'm playing the Prevent Rat (1200/2000) in defense mode. And because of Chorus of Sanctuary, his defense is now 2500!" A large green rat with a hard blue shell appeared.  
  
"More of your rats, Hunter?" Yami insulted him calmly. Internally, he knew he couldn't get by the Prevent Rat. He drew (Shift) and said, "I'll just put one card facedown (Shift) and end my turn."  
  
Hunter drew a card (Pot of Greed) and immediately played it, "The Pot of Greed allows me to draw two more cards (Monster Reborn, Gaia Power). And now I play Monster Reborn, reviving my lost Milus Radiant in attack mode. And now I play Gaia Power, raising all Earth Monsters' attack!" The Milus Radiant reappeared, and the same large tree that had been used at the previous duel sprouted out of the ground. Rays of light struck Milus Radiant and Prevent Rat, their stats changing to 1300/0 and 2200/2000. "To top things off, I sacrifice my Prevent Rat so that I can summon Leogun (1750/1550) in attack mode! And he's an Earth Monster, meaning you-know- what."  
  
Prevent Rat was destroyed, and in its place stood a large black lion with a yellow mane. Its stats grew to 2750/1150 due to Milus Radiant and Gaia Power. "Leogun, attack Alpha the Magnet Warrior!" Leogun charged at the magnet warrior, it's claws held high in mid-pounce as-  
  
"I activate my trap, the Shift! I can have one of my other monsters be a target for your attack. I choose for my Summoned Skull to take the blast." Summoned Skull and Alpha changed places, and Summoned Skull was ripped apart.  
  
Hunter: 1100 Yugi: 1750  
  
/Things look bad. I don't know if we can win./  
  
There's got to be a way to defeat him. If we can't beat his Leogun with brute force, maybe we can find a way around it.  
  
/He doesn't have any magic or trap cards on the field besides Gaia Power. We could attack Milus Radiant!/  
  
Gaia Power boosts the attack of earth type monster on both sides of the field. If we had an Earth Monster that was strong enough-  
  
/Yugi, that's it!/  
  
"This duel is over, Hunter!" Yami shouted at Hunter.  
  
"I couldn't agree with you more, mate. Soon you'll be ripped to shreds by my Leogun."  
  
"Not true. It's my turn now," he drew (Catapult Turtle) and said, "Now prepare to be defeated, Hunter. I now order Alpha the Magnet Warrior to attack your Milus Radiant!" Alpha slashed through Milus Radiant easily.  
  
Hunter ignored the beeps emitting form his DD2 as he laughed aloud, "Hahaha! You may've taken down the Milus Radiant, but my Leogun still has enough strength to-" suddenly he noticed the score.  
  
Hunter: 0000 Yugi: 1750  
  
"What? But How?" Hunter was in shock.  
  
"Your own cards have brought you your own defeat, Hunter." Yami stated as the holograms faded.  
  
"What are you talkin' about? Your Magnet Warrior had 1400 attack, my Milus Radiant had 1300, so I should still have 1000 Life Points left!"  
  
"Wrong. You were so concentrated on your monsters that you failed to see that my Magnet Warrior was receiving the same benefit."  
  
"You. . .mean. . ."  
  
"That's right. Alpha the Magnet Warrior is an Earth Monster! With Milus Radiant and Gaia Power on the field, its attack strength was 2400."  
  
Suddenly Hunter snatched up the saber at his side and swung it at the rope that held Tea above the spikes, yelling insanely, "You may have beaten me but now I'll kill your girlfriend!"  
  
"NO!" the rope parted and Tea began to fall. . .  
  
Suddenly, Kirbin raced through the door and with a mighty leap grabbed Tea out of the air. As he landed safely, Hunter came after him with the saber swinging. He was suddenly dealt a crushing blow to the head by Yamato. As Hunter's senseless form crashed into the wall, Joey, Serenity, Tristan, Bakura, Giyan, Lin, and Term all came rushing through the door.  
  
Yamato took a pair of handcuffs out of his trench coat and put them on Hunter's wrists. "Well," he said, "it looks like we finally caught him."  
  
"You're a cop?" Tristan asked confusedly.  
  
"I have connections. This guy's been wanted for poaching for years. Now he's about to be nailed for kidnapping and attempted murder." Yamato took out a cell phone and dialed in a number. As it rang, he said, "You guys just go enjoy the tournament. The police'll be here soon, but I'll make sure they don't break up the tournament. Oh, and Yugi," he handed Yami the Leogun card and Hunter's one chip, "I believe these are now yours."  
  
Tea had been freed from her bonds, and now she walked up to Yami, who had actually reverted back to Yugi. "Um, thanks for saving me, Yugi . . ." she muttered while blushing.  
  
Yugi blushed back and replied, "Heh . . . well, what are friends for?"  
  
"Doesn't he mean lovebirds?" Giyan stage-whispered as they walked out of the room.  
  
"WHAT?"  
  
"Oh, come on, we all heard what Hunter said," Giyan continued, stifling a snigger.  
  
"Yeah, whatever," Kirbin pouted, "I'm the one who leaps over a bed of spikes and catches her, and he's the one getting the thanks."  
  
"You saved her?" An attractive female duelist with red hair who had been passing through the hall had heard. Kirbin stood bug-eyed as she stroked his pink hair. That's so sweet.  
  
Kirbin's jaw dropped. "You guys go ahead, I'll catch up later." He waved the others off, and they left, all trying to stifle their laughter.  
  
Whew! Well over 3000 words this chapter. And so the tournament begins with a bang! What will happen next time? I'm not telling (either that or I haven't decided, you make the call). 


	5. Of Fairies and Zombies

I do own Yu-Gi-Oh! Really! Okay, I don't, BUT I OWN THIS STORY!  
  
Note, my soldiers, those that flame me are punished, but those that review are greatly rewarded.  
  
SulliMike23: Was she, now? Well, now you'll begin to realize that I didn't say she was a duelist as an afterthought . . .  
  
Wise Man Domingo: Ooh, a Labyrinth set, hm? I like it.  
  
link the traveler: How am I supposed to respond to this?  
  
Time Mage: Actually, I would have considered it a flame had I not totally agreed with you! Yeah, from now on, hands and facedown cards will not be revealed to the audience (which apparently consists of just six people!). As for the strategies, well, they'll be pretty simple for a while, but I'll come through eventually. Still, Term's duel was pretty awesome, right? What would you give if you could pull that off?  
  
Sorry this chapter took so long. I've had writer's block for a while. That, and it's long.  
  
Now, let's return to the tournament.  
  
/Yami to host/  
  
Host to Yami  
  
-Thought speech, when not between a Yami and a host-  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter Five: Of Fairies and Zombies  
  
Also Entitled: The Walking Corpse Returns!  
  
Yugi and Tea were in the most embarrassing situation imaginable. Joey, Tristan, Giyan, and Term harassed them on all sides about the incident with Hunter. Taking advantage of the fact that the kidnapper had mistakenly thought that Tea was Yugi's girlfriend, the two had not been given a chance to revert the shade of their faces to anything but beet red.  
  
Lin, on the other hand, was trying to find someone to duel, as several competitors already had two chips. Looking about him for a good match, his eyes fell on a pale boy with white hair and a hideous face. The boy was already striding up to the group, and about ten feet away from them he shouted above the teasing, "Hey, Wheeler!"  
  
Joey stopped long enough to glance at the boy, who was none other than Bones, one of Bandit Keith's ex-lackeys.  
  
"I want a rematch!" Bones continued.  
  
Joey's face broke into a grin. As his DD2 activated, he rushed up to Bones and shouted back, "Okay, but the result's gonna be the same as last time. I wager one chip."  
  
"Fine, that's all I've got anyway," Bones replied honestly, "but I think that you'll be the one who comes up on the short end this time. Remember, I had you on the ropes until you pulled out that Shield and Sword card."  
  
"Yeah, but enough with the reunions. Let's just get to duelin'!"  
  
Beeps emitted from their DD2s as their Life Point counters came on.  
  
Bones: 4000 Joey: 4000  
  
Yamato joined Yugi and the others in the audience. "The poacher's been taken care of," he said simply. He turned his attention to the two duelists, "Ah, so Joey's first duel is starting." Looking at Bones a bit longer, he then turned to Yugi and muttered, "So, who's the corpse?"  
  
Bones overheard, "Hey, you!" he yelled in fury, "After I'm done with Joey I'm coming after you!"  
  
"Don't make promises just yet, Bones," Joey warned, "especially if you can't keep 'em."  
  
"Well, let's see if you can take your own advice," Bones replied.  
  
"Hey, Yamato," Giyan whispered to his friend, "did you happen to see Kirbin on your way down here?"  
  
He had, and recalling Kirbin's situation at the time, he decided to have some fun. "Kirbin, oh yeah, he was with this redhead."  
  
"Yeah, we ran in to her just a few minutes ago," said Giyan. Then, his eyes flashed with curiosity, "What were they doing."  
  
"Doing? Well, I don't really remember . . ."  
  
"Hey! Cut it out! Come on, tell me."  
  
"Well, really, it's none of your business."  
  
"I'm making it my business! What was happening?"  
  
"I'm not saying."  
  
"DAMN YOU!"  
  
Had Giyan actually known what had been going on at the moment Yamato was refusing to give information about, he would have been uninterested. The two had simply been getting to know each other a little better. The girl's name was Joy. After about ten minutes of chatting with one another, however, the subject of Duel Monsters came up. One thing had led to another and now the two were preparing to duel each other. The two friendly opponents faced each other as their Duel Disks activated.  
  
Joy: 4000 Kirbin: 4000  
  
As the DD2s activated, Kirbin began to concentrate hard.  
  
-So, who wants to duel?-  
  
-I think I will. One duel's as good as another to me.-  
  
-Okay, good luck, Spike.-  
  
-Thanks.-  
  
Kirbin opened his eyes, which now glowed a bright orange. His pink hair also turned orange, and it now stuck up in three spikes. A black jacket with spike sleeves also appeared.  
  
Joy was confused by what was happening, "Wh- wha-?"  
  
"Don't worry," assured Kirbin, now Spike, "I am Spike, one of Kirbin's seven essences. We dwell within his mind, surfacing when we are required. Each of us has a unique set of powers. Mine are pretty obvious." As he finished, Spike held out a fist. From it sprouted three sharp blades, like something out of X-Men. The blades then retracted.  
  
Joy was a bit shocked, but she was still curious, "How did. . ."  
  
Spike smiled disarmingly, "That is something he'll have to explain to you another time. For now, let's duel."  
  
Joy regained a bit of confidence, and drew five cars from her deck. Spike did the same. "You can have the first move," Spike said to her.  
  
"Okay," replied Joy, as she slipped a sixth card off the top of her deck. After looking at her hand a little while, she selected three cards from her hand and laid them on the field, "I play a monster facedown in defense mode, plus two more cards facedown. Your turn."  
  
"Then I'll play the Skull Red Bird (1550/1200), in attack mode! I'll also set a card facedown. Now, Skull Red Bird, attack!"  
  
The red bird appeared, and flew at the facedown card, which was replaced by a yellow-robed woman playing a harp. As the Skull Red Bird flung its sharp yellow feathers from its wings, a barrier came up around the woman deflecting the blades. Several of them struck Spike, who in turn lost Life Points.  
  
Joy: 4000 Spike: 3550  
  
"You've attacked my Spirit of the Harp (800/2000)," Joy explained, "With a defense of 2000, she was able to overcome your bird's attack."  
  
"Nice. It's your turn now."  
  
"Alright then, I'll just play a monster in defense mode."  
  
Spike tried to calm himself. It would be tough to get through to her defenses, he could tell. But all he needed was a good magic card to tip the duel in his favor. He drew a card and smiled as he recognized it. However, he had to wait to use it. For now he'd distract her with another card. . .  
  
"I'll play Fissure, to destroy your Spirit of the Harp!"  
  
"I don't think so! I activate my Trap Card, Fairy's Hand Mirror! That means instead of destroying my monster, you'll instead be destroying your own Skull Red Bird!"  
  
Spike watched without expressing emotion as the Fissure card appeared, then was reflected at his bird. The ground under it shook and gave out, and the bird fell into the deep crevasse below. "You may have destroyed my Skull Red Bird, but here's another monster to defend my Life Points."  
  
The single card appeared in defense mode, and Joy took her turn. Drawing, she shouted in triumph. "I'll now sacrifice my two monsters to summon the mighty Wingweaver!"  
  
Spirit of the Harp and the facedown card (Shining Friendship) disappeared. In their place stood a pink human-sized fairy. She wore a yellow dress. Six wings sprouted from her back. She looked very peaceful, but there was nothing peaceful about her power (2750/2400).  
  
"I'll go first," stated Bones.  
  
"That's fine with me."  
  
Bones drew a card before announcing, "I'll play the Armored Zombie (1500/0) in attack mode." The green zombie appeared, wearing red samurai armor and holding a rusty katana. "Next, I'll play the field card Mystic Plasma Zone, which powers up all Dark Monsters!" A huge swirling vortex appeared above the field, and a white beam emitted from it to strike the ground below, sending volts of electricity through it. The Armored Zombie's power rose to 2000/0. "and I'll end my turn there."  
  
Joey tried to think of how to get rid of the zombie. Before, none of Bones's monsters had had such a high attack power. But as he drew, Joey tried to hide a grin. "I play Axe Raider (1700/1150) in attack mode, plus two cards facedown." The orange-skinned warrior appeared, hefting its axe.  
  
"You fool! You've just left your Life Points open for an attack! I play Skull Servant (300/200) in attack mode, and he gets a power boost from Mystic Plasma Zone, making his attack power 800!" The purple-robed skeleton appeared, immediately receiving a power boost from the magic card and growing to 800/0. "Now, Armored Zombie, attack!" The undead zombie rushed forward, swinging the katana like a maniac, when suddenly-  
  
"Activate Kunai With Chain!" shouted Joey, and one of the two cards flipped up, revealing a card that had served him well on many occasions. The tri- pronged boomerang shot forth, connected to the chain that Axe Raider was holding. The chain wrapped around the Armored Zombie, stopping its attack. "This trap stops your zombie from attacking and shifts it to defense mode, and it gives my Axe Raider a 500 point increase to his attack." Bones watched in horror. Unable to shift the Skull Servant to defense mode, he could do nothing but prepare to lose some Life Points.  
  
"Now it's my turn, and I'll play Swordsman of Landstar in attack mode. Swordsman, attack the Armored Zombie!" With a defense power of 0, the chained Zombie easily fell to the Swordsman's onslaught of several jabs from it butter-knife. "Now, Axe Raider, attack the Skull Servant!" The Axe Raider, now at 2200/1150, easily cut through the skeleton with a single swipe of its axe.  
  
Bones: 2600 Joey: 4000  
  
"All right Joey!" cheered Serenity.  
  
Joey grinned back. But Bones wasn't ready to give up. "Okay, it's my turn now, and I play The 13th Grave (1200/900) in attack mode!" Another skeleton appeared, this one wearing a torn blue garment and wielding a red staff. It gained power from the Mystic Plasma Zone and was now at 1700/500. "Now I'll equip him with the Sword of Dark Destruction, meaning now he's at 2100/300!" Sure enough, as the sword appeared in the zombie's hands in place of the staff, its power grew. "Now, I'll attack the Swordsman of Landstar!"  
  
But as the 13th Grave charged at the small warrior, Joey shouted, "Hold on! I activate Skull Dice!" A tiny figure dressed in black appeared holding a red die. "Depending on what number the die shows, your zombie will lose attack power." Both duelists watched as the figure tossed the die, which bounced on the floor a few times until it landed on. . . "Oh no!" a 3. Though the 13th Grave's power decreased to 700, it was still enough. The Sword of Dark Destruction cut the Swordsman of Landstar to ribbons, and Joey lost 200 Life Points.  
  
Bones: 2600 Joey: 3800  
  
Bones heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm not done yet, Joey! I'll now play the Magic card Tribute to the Doomed! I'll discard a card from my hand to destroy the Axe Raider!" The Axe Raider was wrapped in bandages like a mummy and dragged into the ground. "And I lay one more card facedown."  
  
Joey began was getting a little nervous. While he could easily get rid of a The 13th Grave, Bones had still managed to destroy his powered up Axe Raider, which he could have used later. "My turn now," he drew his card, "and I'll play Alligator Sword (1500/1200) in attack mode, and destroy your crummy skeleton!"  
  
A humanoid alligator wearing red and black armor and carrying a broadsword appeared. It rushed forth and cut through the skeleton with ease.  
  
Bones: 1800 Joey: 3800  
  
"Your lead isn't going too last long, Wheeler. I lay a monster in defense mode, and activate Call of the Haunted!" A monster clawed its way out of the ground, revealing, "Pumpking the King of Ghosts (1800/2000! And don't forget the power boost. . ." As Bones spoke, the enormous one-eyed jack-o- lantern's power grew to 2300/1600.  
  
"Wait a minute," argued Joey, "how did Pumpking get in your graveyard?"  
  
"Remember Tribute to the Doomed?" reminded Bones, "Pumpking was the card I discarded to play it. Pumpking, attack the Alligator Sword!" The king of ghosts wrapped its vines/tentacles around the reptile and squeezed it until it shattered.  
  
Bones: 1800 Joey: 3000  
  
"Well, this is getting interesting," mused Term.  
  
"Definitely," consented Giyan.  
  
"You think your overgrown vegetable's gonna when this for you?" challenged Joey, "Well, I've beaten bigger things than this before! You just wait, you're monster's gonna end up at this Thanksgiving's dinner table." He drew his card and grinned. The card just might do it for him, but it would be a risk. "I lay a card facedown, and the Tiny Guardian (1400/1800) in attack mode!"  
  
"If you think I'm going to fall for you putting a monster in attack mode again, then you've got another thing coming!" spat Bones as the small, blue- clothed figure appeared floating in front of Joey, its sword and shield held ready. "Hah! Thought you fooled me didn't you? But I know what you're up to, that card's not a Trap at all! You're just trying to bluff me into not attacking long enough for you to draw a good card! Unless. . .unless it is a Trap card, and you knew I'd think you were bluffing, but if you were able to figure that out, then you would also know that I would know that you knew that I knew that you were bluffing, so you really didn't put down a Trap card."  
  
"Can't pull the wool over your eyes," Joey muttered sarcastically.  
  
"I'm not done yet! If you had anticipated that I would figure out that you had been bluffing about not bluffing about bluffing about. . .Aw, Hell with it. I flip Castle of Dark Illusions (920/1930), which boosts the attack and defense of all Zombies by 200, and Pumpking gains another 200 attack and defense as long as the Castle is on the field. Now, I'll destroy your pathetic Tiny Guardian!" As the Castle of Dark Illusions appeared in the air, its power changing to 1420/1530, Pumpking's strength shot up to 2700/2000. it reached for the Tiny Guardian as it had reached for the Alligator Sword. Suddenly, a giant purple box closed around the Tiny Guardian, causing Pumpking to stop his assault. "What in the-"  
  
"I activated my trap, the Fairy Box," explained Joey, "See those holes? Well, my Tiny Guardian will pop out of 'em, drop back in, and come out of a different one constantly. You have to choose when to let Pumpking attack. Time it right, and Tiny Guardian will be destroyed, but if you miss, Pumpking's attack will drop to 0." Just as he had said, the Tiny Guardian began poking its head in and out of the holes in the top of the box rapidly. Pumpking's eye followed the head as best it could, trying to keep up with its target to prepare when his master ordered the attack.  
  
Bones hesitated for about fifteen seconds, when he could take it no more. "Argh! Pumpking, attack now!" Pumpking reached for the Tiny Guardian, but it sprung back into the box just in time. Pumpking's tentacle was caught in the hole! The box's sides broke apart, allowing the Tiny Guardian to exit. It swung its small sword at the trapped pumpkin, slicing the orange plant clean in two before it shattered.  
  
Bones: 400 Joey: 3000  
  
"All right!" whooped Joey, "Your Pumpking's been reduced to pie!"  
  
Serenity and the others all cheered loudly. "Wow, Joey's almost won!" she said in excitement.  
  
"Don't count out the corpse yet," warned Yamato, "I've noticed something. He seemed really happy with his opening hand, and there are two cards he hasn't even set on the field yet for the whole duel. He's up to something, and it just might take one more card to turn the tables."  
  
"Okay," said Joey, "my turn now. I'll destroy Fairy Box so I don't have to pay 500 Life Points to keep it." The purple box vanished, "And now, I'll summon Panther Warrior (2000/1500) in attack mode. He needs a sacrifice to attack, so I'll sacrifice the Tiny Guardian so he can slice and dice the Castle of Dark Illusions!" The purple-furred panther appeared, clad in armor and a cape, with its sword ready. The Tiny Guardian turned blue and was absorbed by Panther Warrior, which leapt high in the air and cut through the Castle with one mighty swing.  
  
Bones knew he was on the ropes. But Yamato had been right. He just needed the right card now, and he'd easily have a monster strong enough to beat Joey. He drew a card and laughed aloud.  
  
"What's with you?" said Joey in an annoyed tone.  
  
"I just drew the card that will win this duel for me! Activate Polymerization! I can discard Ancient Brain and Tainted Wisdom to the graveyard to summon my strongest monster." The two monsters, one a fairy with a large brain, the other simply a large, rotting brain, momentarily appeared before swirling together. From the distorted image emerged a hideous being. It had absolutely no lower body. Its green skin was mostly covered by its armor. The breastplate was one humongous skull, the shield on its left arm was the face of a skull as well. The helmet on its head was made of a third skull, with two long brown horns jutting from its sides. The only thing it carried not made of bone was a large sword in its right hand. "Behold, the mighty Skull Knight (2650/2250)!" The Skull Knight's power rose due to Mystic Plasma Zone to 3150/1850. "I can't attack this turn because Skull Knight is a Fusion card, so you'll live for at least one more turn. But next turn, I should have another monster in my hand, and your Life Points will be history!"  
  
"Wingweaver, attack!" cried Joy.  
  
"Then I'll activate my Trap card, Mirror Force!" countered Spike.  
  
"No!" As Wingweaver launched a ray of light at the facedown card, a barrier formed in front of it and reflected the blast. Wingweaver was destroyed by her own attack.  
  
"And now I'll play Cocoon of Evolution in defense mode," the facedown card flipped to reveal a Petit Moth, which was encased in a cocoon immediately, its stats changing to 0/2000. "In four turns, the cocoon will break open, revealing one of the strongest cards to ever exist. I'll also play one card facedown."  
  
"Well, I still have four turns to destroy your cocoon," Joy pointed out. After drawing a card, she whooped in triumph, "Yes! I play Raigeki, destroying all of your monsters!"  
  
"Think again, I activate Dust Tornado, countering Raigeki and allowing me to set another Magic or Trap card facedown." The Raigeki lightning bolt lanced down to destroy Spike's monsters, but a tornado sprung up and sucked up the blast, then dispersed. Another facedown card appeared on Spike's field.  
  
Joy frowned, then played another card, "I lay a monster in defense mode."  
  
"My turn," Spike drew and said, "I play Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1 in attack mode (what a mouthful)! Winged Dragon, attack!" The blue, man-sized dragon appeared. It quickly shot a fireball from its mouth at the facedown card (Shining Friendship-1300/1100) and destroyed it. "Your move. Just three more turns." To dramatize the situation, Spike once again sprouted three spikes from his knuckles to symbolize a countdown.  
  
Joy drew her card. She sighed, then put a monster in defense mode before signaling Spike to go.  
  
He also drew, then ordered the Winged Dragon to attack. The facedown Petit Angel (1000/400) was instantly engulfed in flames. Spike retracted one of the spikes into his knuckle. Two turns left.  
  
Joy drew a card, then smiled in triumph. "I play monster reborn, to revive my lost Wingweaver!" The fairy reappeared, and the Winged Dragon drew away in terror. "Now, I'll get rid of that cocoon. Wingweaver, attack!" The Wingweaver shot a ray of light at the cocoon, which vaporized rapidly. "Now I have the advantage."  
  
"We'll see how long," said Spike. He knew, however, that this next draw was very important. He began to ask for the assistance of the Heart of the Cards. He drew his card. "I play Graceful Charity!" he shouted. "He then drew three cards and yelled, "I discard these two cards, then play Monster Reborn, to revive the Great Moth that I discarded!" The mighty Great Moth (2600/2500) appeared, flapping its immense wings in preparation of battle.  
  
Joy was a bit stunned, but quickly regained herself, "So you managed to get the Great Moth out, but face the facts. It's not strong enough to beat my Wingweaver."  
  
"Not yet," admitted Spike, "but you've forgotten about the facedown card I set when I activated Dust Tornado. Activate Laser Cannon Armor, to power up my Great Moth!" As the magic card activated, armor sprouted about the Great Moth's thorax, with a laser cannon perched between its wings, boosting it up to 2900/2800. "Great Moth, destroy the Wingweaver!" ordered Spike. The laser cannon powered up and launched a blast at the fairy, destroying it. "Now," continued Spike, "Winged Dragon, attack her Life Points directly!" One fireball blast later, the score had changed considerably.  
  
Joy: 2450 Spike: 3550  
  
"My turn," Joy managed to mutter after recovering. The card she drew was exactly what she needed. "I play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards." The cards she drew were exactly what she needed. "First off, I'll remove Shining Friendship and Petit Angel from my graveyard out of play to summon the Soul of Purity and Light (2000/1800)," a pale blue female ghost appeared, its eyes half-closed in a calming gesture. "Now, I equip her with Elf's Light," the Soul began to emit waves of yellow light, and its power changed to 2400/1600. "Finally, I play De-Spell, destroying your Laser Cannon Armor." The armor that Great Moth was wearing vanished, and its power reverted back to 2600/2500. "And I'll end my turn by destroying the Winged Dragon!" The Soul of Purity and Light let loose a blast of the yellow energy emanating from it, blowing away the blue dragon.  
  
Joy: 2450 Spike: 2550  
  
Spike took his turn. He knew of the Soul's effect: all of his monsters would lose 300 attack points during his battle phase, meaning that attacking would be fruitless. But the card he drew immediately solved that problem. "Joy," he said, "you have fought a good duel. But here is where it ends. I play Dark Hole!" The large abyssal tear in space appeared in the middle of the field, drawing in the Great Moth and the Soul of Purity and Light before disappearing completely. Joy gasped as she saw her last defense vanish. "Now to finish this. First, I remove the Skull Red Bird in my graveyard from play to summon Garuda the Wind Spirit (1600/1200). Next I summon Girochin Kuwagata in attack mode (1700/1000). Now they'll both attack your life points and finish you off."  
  
An aven and a large, pink insect appeared. They lashed out at Joy's Life Points with talon and pincer, destroying the rest of her Life Points.  
  
Joy: 0 Spike: 2550  
  
Joy slumped as the holograms faded. She had been beaten. Spike relented control back to Kirbin, who walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "Hey," he said, "don't feel bad. You dueled amazingly."  
  
Joy looked back up at him and smiled, then shuffled through her cards until she found her Wingweaver. She also fished out her one chip and offered them to Kirbin. "Here, you won these. They're yours."  
  
Kirbin accepted the chip, but hesitated to take the card, "I think you should keep your Wingweaver," he explained, "It's your strongest card and I know it means a lot to you."  
  
"Don't worry," said Joy, "I have a spare. Go ahead, keep it."  
  
Kirbin smiled nervously, and finally took it from her hand. "There are some people I'd like you to meet," he said, "they're downstairs."  
  
"Sure," she answered, "I'd like to know your friends."  
  
"Great." With that, they headed down the hallway, the memory of the duel already far from their minds.  
  
Joey stared at the fearsome Skull Knight, ready to do all he could to shield his Life Points. He drew a card and said, "Okay, I shift Panther Warrior to defense mode, and play the Scapegoat magic card." Panther Warrior went into a crouch, and four furry little balls with goat horns appeared around it, each one a different color. "I also play one more card facedown and end my turn."  
  
"I hope Joey can beat that Skull Knight," Tea said worriedly, "and soon, or else he's doomed."  
  
"My turn now," Bones grinned at the card he had drawn, "I play Dragon Zombie (1600/0) in attack mode!" As soon as it appeared, the zombie's power grew to 2100/0 thanks to Mystic Plasma Zone. "Skull Knight, Dragon Zombie, destroy two of the Scapegoats!" The Skull Knight cut through the Panther warrior with a single swing of the sword it carried, and the Dragon Zombie destroyed one of the Scapegoats by using its corrosive breath.  
  
Joey grinned, then said, "Well, I can't keep you from destroying either of 'em, but I can still activate my Trap card, Graverobber!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"With the Graverobber, I can take a Magic card from your graveyard and use it against you. I have to wait until my turn to use it, though."  
  
"What card do you think Joey took?" wondered Tristan.  
  
"Oh, you'll see soon enough," said Lin with a smile.  
  
"Well, I can't do anything else," muttered Bones, "so get on with it."  
  
"Okay. First off, I play Goblin Attack Force!" six goblins, each one carrying one of a large assortment of weapons, appeared in front of Joey, who grinned before continuing, "next, I'll play Giant Trunade, to return all magic and trap cards on the field to our hands." A large hurricane appeared overhead, blowing away the Mystic Plasma Zone and Joey's three remaining Scapegoats. "Now I play Tribute to the Doomed, discarding my returned Scapegoat to destroy your Skull Knight!" Skull Knight was instantly wrapped in bandages and dragged into the ground. "Now, to top things off, Goblin Attack Force, destroy the Dragon Zombie!" The Dragon Zombie, now back to its normal 1600/0, was covered by the goblins and beat by sword, axe, spike, and hammer.  
  
Bones: 0 Joey: 3000  
  
Serenity cheered as the holograms faded. Bones dropped to his knees. His two strongest monsters had been beaten in one duel. Joey walked up to him with his hand held out. "Come on, hand 'em over, your rarest card and your microchip."  
  
Bones dug out his Skull Knight and chip and handed them over to Joey, who pocketed them temporarily. Bones stood up and held out his hand to Joey. "It was a good duel. I hope we can have a second rematch."  
  
Joey smiled and accepted the handshake. "Count on it." With that, the two duelists went their separate ways.  
  
-pant pant- Over 4000 words. This is the longest chapter yet.  
  
Please submit a review if you read this. 


	6. Pincers and Claws

Yeah, I know I haven't updated for a month, but pipe down because I'll try to post a new chapter every week from now on, so long as the evil homework demon doesn't pester me. However, I'm only going to post just one duel a chapter in order to keep updating frequently. Now then, to the reviews!  
  
SulliMike23: Yes, she's cute. And that's all I can really say right now.  
  
ShadowKnightHero: Okay, so I was wrong, but this is a story and I myself have never actually seen the card used, so I'm not going to worry about it.  
  
DaBlAcKMaNiNrEd: Well, I could use one more finalist. . . first come first served!  
  
Time Mage: You really know your stuff, don't you!  
  
Yoshimo: Well, you have your opinion and I have mine, and you have made me laugh so hard with your stories that IT could blast Weevil from here to New Mexico.  
  
snipe: Thanks for the cards, they should prove useful.  
  
SulliMike23: Thanks for the suggestion, but I had already of thought of those. Great minds think alike!  
  
Pheonixrider09: Thanks for yet another batch of cards.  
  
someone: Well, I really appreciate your services, but the Legacy of Darkness AND Pharoanic Guardian cards are finally online.  
  
someone: Okay, okay! Here's the chapter!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter 6: Pincers and Claws  
Also Entitled: Crush Time!  
  
In a hall unoccupied by all others, two duelists had come to the climax of a battle. One had remained untouched while his opponent had been awed and dumbstruck, ". . .how d- . . .h-how d-do y- . . .how do you have that card?"  
  
"That doesn't matter, just hand over your rarest card and one chip, as we agreed." The two items fell to the floor at his feet, as his opponent fell to his knees, shaking. As the victor walked away, the defeated and demoralized duelist stared straight at the area where the monster that should not have been had stood when it delivered the final blow.  
  
Joey stared at the Skull Knight in disappointment. Though it was a token of one of his victories in the tournament, he could not use it in battle, as he did not own either of its Fusion components. So he just put the card in his pocket and hoped he would be able it use it sometime. For now he, Yugi, and the others would simply look for more opponents. Of course, that didn't mean that those opponents wouldn't be looking for them.  
  
As if on cue (okay, so it is on cue), a shrill voice yelled in their direction from somewhere in the crowd, "Wheeler!" At the sound of his name, Joey turned around and saw-  
  
"Weevil!" Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Serenity, and Bakura all exclaimed simultaneously, causing some of the surrounding duelists to cover their ears. "What do you want?" asked Joey, alone this time.  
  
"I'm challenging you to a duel so that I can reclaim my Insect Queen! I wager one microchip, the loser gets knocked out of the tournament!"  
  
"Well, Weevil Underpants, sorry to disappoint you but I already have two chips, so I won't get knocked out even if I do lose!" Joey said before opening his KS to reveal the two chips that he had won.  
  
"Who cares?" replied Weevil, "there's no way you can win another duel without my Insect Queen anyway!"  
  
"Actually, Weevil, Insect Queen isn't even in my deck, so there's nothing for me to worry about."  
  
"WHAT? YOU TAKE MY RAREST CARD, THEN DON'T EVEN PUT IT IN YOUR DECK? THAT'S IT, LET'S DUEL!"  
  
"Alright, but I don't think it's worth it to you just to get your-huh?"  
  
Yamato had just placed one of his large, gloved hands on Joey's shoulder, and now spoke to him, "Why don't I duel him first?"  
  
"What?" Joey replied, looking somewhat confused.  
  
"I haven't gotten to duel someone yet, but you have," Yamato spoke in a calm voice that never wavered once.  
  
"Hey! Don't I get a say in this?" cried Weevil from where he was standing.  
  
Yamato turned to him and said, "Think of it this way, if you beat me, you'll have two star chips and will be able to knock Joey out of the tournament and have four chips. If you beat Joey without facing me, you'll just have two chips to show for it."  
  
Weevil grinned at the idea and said, "Sounds fair to me, let's duel."  
  
Weevil: 4000 Yamato: 4000  
  
Both duel disks activated and the battle began. "I'll go first," declared Weevil as he drew his first six cards.  
  
"Fine," said Yamato in the same voice that he always used.  
  
"I'll start by placing a card facedown and one monster in defense mode." Both cards appeared in front of Weevil, brown backs hiding their true form.  
  
"My turn," said Yamato as he slid a card off the top of his deck. "And I'll match you by playing two cards facedown and one monster facedown."  
  
Weevil drew his card and said, "Time to make this a bit more interesting, I play the 8-Claws Scorpion (300/200) in attack mode!" A large green, metallic scorpion with crimson red eyes and tail barb appeared, its claws snapping together in a threatening manner.  
  
The others were obviously confused by this action. "Why did he put such a weak card in attack mode?" asked Tristan.  
  
"Because 8-Claws Scorpion has a very special ability when it attacks facedown cards," replied Weevil, "but before that, I flip Swarm of Locusts (1000/500) into attack mode! And whenever Swarm of Locusts is flipped face- up, I can destroy any magic or trap card on your side of the field! I choose the one on the left." A cloud of locusts materialized from Weevil's face down card and surged towards the facedown card, which was revealed to be Acid Trap Hole before it was destroyed. "Now, 8-Claws Scorpion, attack!" The scorpion charged forth, its eight legs clattering on the ground. As it struck the facedown card with its tail, the scorpion's attack power suddenly shot up to 2400, easily enough to destroy the facedown Oni Tank T- 34 (1400/1700). "Now, Swarm of Locusts, attack his Life Points directly!" The thousands of black locusts surged at and past Yamato, and his Life Points ticked down.  
  
Weevil: 4000 Yamato: 3000  
  
"I'll end my turn by using my monsters' ability to flip facedown." Both monsters changed into brown-backed cards.  
  
"Oh no," said Tea in realization, "if Weevil can flip his monsters facedown, then he'll not only protect is Life Points, but also destroy the Magic and Trap Cards that Yamato puts on the field!"  
  
Weevil snickered evilly as Yamato drew his card and announced, "I play the Magic Card, Change of Heart, to take control of your 8-Claws Scorpion." A half-angelic, half-demonic figure appeared before Yamato, then floated into the facedown 8-Claws Scorpion, which moved over to Yamato's side of the field. "And now I'll summon Vorse Raider (1900/1200) in attack mode." A yellow, muscular warrior wielding a long-handled glaive appeared, hefting its weapon and snarling menacingly at Weevil. "Next, I shall have 8-Claws Scorpion destroy your Swarm of Locusts," the large scorpion's tail glowed red once more, and it struck the face down Swarm of Locusts, easily destroying it.  
  
"My Swarm of Locusts still destroys one of your facedown cards," reminded Weevil, though his grin had turned into a scowl and he was rewarded with little as the Polymerization card was destroyed.  
  
"I shall now attack your Life Points directly with Vorse Raider," continued Yamato as the yellow beast swiftly cut through Weevil with his weapon.  
  
Weevil: 2100 Yamato: 3000  
  
"And I shall now end my turn."  
  
"Alright!" Serenity cheered, "Yamato just took a big lead, what a great counterattack!"  
  
"I still regain 8-Claws Scorpion, since Change of Heart's effect has worn off," stated Weevil as the large insect returned to his side of the field.  
  
"That may be true," consented Yamato, "but because there are no facedown monsters on my side of the field, the Scorpion is useless to you."  
  
But Weevil grinned as he drew his card, "Every monster has its purpose," he said as he took his 8-Claws Scorpion off his Duel Disk and replaced it with another card, "even if its just to be sacrificed for a stronger card, such as the mighty Empress Mantis (2200/1400)!" An enormous pink and red preying mantis appeared in front of him where the 8-Claws Scorpion had been before. Its neck was covered in a white ball of hair, and extending from just below it were two limbs that ended in large, black blades. "And now I'll activate my facedown card, Mask of the Accursed, which will stop your Vorse Raider from defending your Life Points and causing you to lose 500 of them every turn! The end is near, attack, my Empress Mantis!" Yamato showed no sign of reaction whatsoever as he watched his Vorse Raider's face being covered by a hideous green mask and his Life Points plummet with a slash from the enormous insect.  
  
Weevil: 2100 Yamato: 800  
  
"Man," murmured Joey, "Yamato's takin' a beatin' now."  
  
"Yeah," seconded Yugi, "he'll have to make quite a comeback to win this duel."  
  
"Don't worry about," said Giyan calmly, watching the duel with mild interest, "Yamato will win, he just needs to get one more card."  
  
"How do you know?" asked Yugi, confused.  
  
"You don't hang out with a guy for years without knowing his deck strategy inside and out," replied Giyan with a grin.  
  
As Yamato drew his card, Weevil reminded him, "Now that it's your turn, you lose another 500 Life Points thanks to my Mask of the Accursed."  
  
Weevil: 2100 Yamato: 300  
  
Weevil laughed in that high, taunting, man-I want-to-kill-that-four-eyed- freak laugh. But Yamato simply looked up and said two words, "It's over."  
  
"I couldn't agree with you more, after all, next turn my Empress Mantis will plow through any monster you put in defense mode, and then I'll finis you off with a monster I summon on that turn . . . Or, if I can't summon a monster, the Mask of the Accursed will finish you off anyway, either way, I win! . . . Or, maybe you won't even be able to summon-"  
  
"Shut up."  
  
"What?"  
  
"This duel is over because you're about to lose. I summon Gadget Soldier (1800/2000) in attack mode by sacrificing my Vorse Raider," the Vorse Raider, mask included, vanished, and in its place stood a large, muscular cyborg carrying a rocket-launcher.  
  
Weevil gave another one of his annoying laughs and said, "How pathetic! Your weakling robot will get pulverized by my mighty Empress Mantis and you'll lose the rest of your Life Points!"  
  
"Not if I play these two Magic Cards. First, 7 Completed will increase his attack by 700." The cybernetic soldier's eyes glowed bright yellow as its power grew to 2500/2000. "And then I play Megamorph," finished Yamato as he set the second card on his duel disk. The Gadget Soldier doubled in size and it let out a cry of might as its strength shot up to 5000/4000. "Gadget Soldier, attack the Empress Mantis and finish the duel." The Gadget Soldier leveled its weapon at the Empress Mantis and fired twelve immense missiles at it. The noise they caused was like a fireworks show, only quintupled in volume, and as the projectiles exploded around the immense insect, the sound of the blast attracted the attention of everyone in the room. Even people who were currently dueling looked up to see an immense robot standing over a black claw-all that remained of the Empress Mantis.  
  
Weevil: 0 Yamato: 300  
  
Before the holograms faded, the Gadget Soldier turned, looked down at Yamato and saluted. Yamato returned the salute, and the cyborg was gone.  
  
Yamato walked over to Weevil, who was yelling and pulling at his hair. Yamato grabbed the collar of Weevil's shirt and pulled him up until they were face-to-bandages. "Stop whining," said Yamato, "and hand over the chip as we agreed." While Weevil was normally really sore when he lost, he decided that it was best to do what the large man told him to and walk away with his face intact, and did so. As he took the chip, Yamato dropped the insect duelist unceremoniously put the chip into his KS. Weevil scampered away like the little insect he was as fast as he could.  
  
Yamato returned to the group and continued walking as if the entire duel had never occurred. Giyan whispered to Yugi, "Remember this: No matter what the situation is, Yamato will win," and then followed Yamato, the rest of the group close behind.  
  
So, there you go, end of Chapter Six, and more are coming. But for now, review! 


	7. Battle Against Nature

Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Seven- Battle Against Nature  
Also Entitled- Weed Cutter  
  
Bursts of flame surrounded the duelist. He cowered behind his arms as his Life Points ticked to 0. He looked up as the holograms faded and his opponent stepped forward, arm outstretched. Wordlessly, the duelist handed over a microchip and a card. His opponent pocketed the card and put the chip in his KS, then walked away. The duelist, still staring at his back in amazement after their Duel, could barely remember the events that had taken place. It had ended so quickly that the details simply disappeared from his memory. But at that moment, he was certain that the one who had just defeated him would enter the tournament finals.  
  
"So you've got two chips, so does Yugi, and Joey, and Term. I need to duel someone!" cried Lin as he spoke to Yamato.  
  
"Well then, you'll have to challenge someone, won't you?" responded Yamato coolly.  
  
"Yes, you're right! I'll challenge the first duelist I see!"  
  
And so, just less than a minute later . . .  
  
"I can't believe I'm dueling a tree-hugger . . ." muttered Lin to himself.  
  
Just across from him was a girl with brown hair. She wore a t-shirt that said about the same thing five hundred times in different phrases-save the earth. Her name was Natra. Just twenty seconds ago, right after introducing herself, Natra had made a brief speech about how she intended to donate the prize money from the tournament to different fund-raisers t protect the environment. She was just now going on about how nature was being abused and all that other stuff that activists do. ". . . Do you realize just how many trees are cut down and how many innocent creatures lose their lives just so you can have simple conveniences like a bottle of soda? (Nope, don't think they're related at all, but this is how absurd I think these arguments can be. Well, they're not this absurd, really. I apologize to all members of the audience who are activists.) Do you know just how many acres of forests are cleared just so you can have your roads when you drive to work? Do you-"  
  
"NO, I DON'T! OKAY?" Lin bellowed, "NOW CAN WE PLEASE JUST DUEL?"  
  
"Fine then," answered Natra, "I have one chip, which I'll wager on this duel."  
  
"Fine," responded Lin as they both drew five cards, "I'll also wager a chip, then."  
  
Natra: 4000 Lin: 4000  
  
Natra drew a sixth card and said, "I'll start by playing Man Eater (800/600) in attack mode." A large plant appeared in front of her. It had an actual face with large eyes and a beak-like mouth filled with jagged teeth. Its head was covered in pink petals. "And now I'll end my turn."  
  
Lin tried to hide his confusion. He knew that Man Eater had no effect, and with no Magic or Trap Cards on the field, Natra had virtually left herself open for attack. He acted quickly to take advantage of this. He drew a card and examined it for a moment before announcing, "I play the Hayabusa Knight (1000/700) in attack mode!" A tall, humanoid bird appeared on the field. It was armored in silver and gold, and a green cape was draped over its shoulders. In its right upper talon it held a long-bladed rapier. "Now, I'll attack and destroy your Man Eater!" The Hayabusa Knight leapt forth and cut straight through the monstrous plant, with immediately shattered.  
  
Natra: 3800 Lin: 4000  
  
"Now, Hayabusa Knight, attack again!" The tall bird once again swung its sword, this time cutting straight through Natra and taking a chunk out of her Life Points.  
  
Natra: 2800 Lin: 4000  
  
"How did you attack twice with the same monster?" Natra demanded.  
  
"It's really very simple," Lin explained, "that is simply the Hayabusa Knight's effect, which can be very useful in the right situation."  
  
Natra frowned as she drew her card, but grinned when she announced, "I play Darkworld Thorns (1200/900) in attack mode, and destroy your Hayabusa Knight!" Another large plant emerged before her. Its vines were covered in thorns and shaded a dark blue. Somewhere amidst them a head emerged, orange petals ringed about it and sharp teeth poking through its lips. As soon as it had fully emerged, it reached with one long vine and grabbed the Knight before crushing it to death.  
  
Natra: 2800 Lin: 3800  
  
"My turn then," Lin said as he drew a card without the slightest bit if disappointment. "So I'll play the Swordsman of Landstar (500/1000) in Attack mode," the tiny, seemingly wooden swordsman appeared, butter-knife sword in hand, "and then I'll play the Magic Card Shield and Sword." Natra gasped as she watched her Darkworld Thorns' power change to 900/1200 and the Swordsman's to 1000/500. "And now, I'll destroy the Darkworld Thorns." With one swift swing, the Swordsman decapitated the large plant.  
  
Natra: 2700 Lin: 3800  
  
Natra growled in frustration before swiping a card off the top of her deck. Recognizing it, she then smiled and said, "Now you'll pay for destroying my wonderful plants. I play the Woodland Sprite (900/400) in Attack Mode!" A three-foot-tall humanoid made seemingly of logs with a leaf for a head appeared before her. "And then I'll equip him with Vile Germs, which will raise his Attack to 1200!" The Woodland Sprite, its once brown bark now a dark purple, raised one fist and dealt the Swordsman of Landstar (which was now back to 500/1000) a right hook which sent it flying. "And before I end my turn I'll use Woodland Sprite's effect to send Vile Germs to the Graveyard and deal 500 points of damage directly to your Life Points!" The Woodland Sprite regained its original color, but Lin noticed that his Life Points had lowered as Natra said.  
  
Natra: 2700 Lin: 2600  
  
Lin smiled a bit. For the first time, Natra had showed that she actually knew a bit about dueling and taken the lead. But it was too little, too late. Lin calmly drew a card and said, "Time to end this Duel. I play Monster Reborn to revive my lost Hayabusa Knight in Attack Mode." Once again, the bird warrior appeared in front of Lin, rapier at the ready. "Next, I'll equip him with the Legendary Sword, raising his Attack and Defense by 300." A large, broad dagger appeared in the Knight's talon, replacing the rapier, and its power increased to 1300/1000. "Then I'll play the Celtic Guardian (1400/1200) in Attack Mode." An elven warrior in brown, green, and silver armor appeared next to the Hayabusa Knight, a broad sword held at the ready. "Finally, my Celtic Guardian will destroy your Sprite, leaving your Life Points open to two direct assaults from my Hayabusa Knight." As he finished speaking, both warriors rushed forth, blades raised as they charged into battle. The Woodland Sprite was cleaved in two with a swift stroke of the Celtic Guardian's blade, and Natra's Life Points diminished to nothing as the Hayabusa Knight delivered her two quick strikes.  
  
Natra: 0000 Lin: 2600  
  
As the holograms faded, Natra's eyes began to tear up, but she reached into her KS and offered Lin her one chip, along with the Woodland Sprite. Lin took the chip from her hand, but refused to take her card. "Please, keep it," he said, "I understand how hard it is for you to lose this Duel, I won't make it worse by taking your favorite card."  
  
"Really?" Natra asked hopefully, eyes gleaming through her tears.  
  
"Yes," Lin reassured with a nod. He then reacted quickly to keep her from choking him to death in a hug by placing his hand on her face as she leapt forward. "Please," he said, teeth grinding and cheeks burning, "none of that."  
  
Later (or sooner, I suppose)...  
  
"Something doesn't seem right..." Yugi murmured to Giyan as they walked through the hotel in search of more opponents.  
  
"What do you mean?" Giyan inquired.  
  
"Well, it just seems to me that the three cards Yamato used at the end, Monster Reborn, Legendary Sword, and Celtic Guardian..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Wouldn't two of them have been in his hand before that turn? Why didn't he use them before?"  
  
Giyan smiled in reflection as he explained, "Lin was trying to be polite. He knew from the first turn that Natra was not very experienced. Had he used those cards earlier than he did, she would have been dejected and thought that she had no chance at dueling. By prolonging the Duel a bit, Lin gave her a bit of confidence, at least enough to come back again some other time."  
  
"That was pretty nice of him," Yugi concluded.  
  
"Well, he's also a sucker for chicks," Giyan said, his mystifying tone suddenly dropping. Yugi face-faulted. 


	8. Nuclear War

Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Eight: Nuclear War  
Also Entitled: Boom! Bang! Kapow!  
  
A barrage of laser-fire crashed into the duelist and his Life Points plummeted. He fell to the ground on his knees before his opponent came up to him and extended his hand. The duelist relinquished a chip and a card sadly. He then watched as his opponent walked away before he himself headed for his room, disappointed that he had lasted such a short time in the tournament.  
  
Kirbin and Joy made their way down the hallway of the hotel towards the elevators. Unbeknownst to them, Lin and Yamato had both won Duels since their own had ended, and another would take place before they covered the ten feet that separated them from the twin doors. A Duel against a person who has been described as "an SOB," "a cheating bastard," and "someone who doesn't deserve do be American." You have five seconds to guess who it is.  
  
5  
  
4  
  
3  
  
2  
  
1  
  
Bandit Keith stepped around the corner and collided with Kirbin. (You got it right? Good, you get the wonderful prize of negative 500 thousand dollars.) "Why you-" he growled as he grabbed Kirbin by the neck and yanked him off of his feet, the veins of his steroid-pumped body pulsing. Kirbin failed to react do to surprise and the hand around his throat. However, Joy had enough sense to kick Keith in an area that most males would rather eat vomit than have hit. Keith immediately lost his grip, and Kirbin landed on his feet. Bandit Keith's eyes bulged and his knees buckled as he let out a high shrill of pain as he clutched the damaged area.  
  
"Thanks," said Kirbin to Joy as he rubbed his throat. Joy simply grinned.  
  
Keith somehow leapt to his feet, eyes burning in rage. "Why you little –[(this series of words has been censored to ensure the well-being of all members of the audience under the age of fourteen)]-!" he shouted in fury, "I challenge you to a Duel!"  
  
"Um, actually..." Joy opened her KS to reveal its emptiness.  
  
Keith growled, then whirled on Kirbin, "Okay, then I challenge you to a Duel! One chip, right here, right now!"  
  
Kirbin rolled his eyes. He wasn't the kind of person who could tell what someone was like just by looking at them, but Keith's little outburst accompanied by his reputation for cheating let him know that there was no danger from this lunatic. "Alright," he agreed, and then closed his eyes and began to change.  
  
Bomber was perfect for this Duel, and Kirbin knew it. Not only did he have the cards to wipe Keith out, but he would also frustrate him with a strategy specifically meant for... frustrating someone.  
  
Black armor that looked like a strange spacesuit replaced Kirban's clothes, and his pink hair changed to a shaved black. Keith had witnessed strange things before, and he looked unimpressed with Kirban's new attire. Little did he know that this was no longer Kirban he faced, but Bomber.  
  
Keith: 4000 Bomber: 4000  
  
"I'll let you go first, brat," said Keith after they both drew five cards. Bomber nodded and drew a sixth card before announcing, "I play one monster facedown in Defense Mode, plus three more facedown cards." All four brown- backed cards appeared in front of him, their purposes hidden.  
  
Keith snorted, "Playing facedown, huh? How pathetic," he drew, "especially since I'm playing the Robotic Knight (1600/1800) in Attack Mo-,"  
  
"I activate Trap Hole, destroying your Robotic Knight," interrupted Bomber, activating his Trap Card. A robot that appeared to be a mechanical version of some sort of British general wielding a rapier appeared momentarily, then fell into a pit that materialized below it.  
  
Bandit Keith scowled angrily, then placed a card facedown and ended his turn.  
  
Bomber drew a card, then played a Magic Card (or should I say Spell now? Yeah, I'll go with Spell from now on), "The Mystical Space Typhoon shall destroy your facedown card," he said calmly. A whirlwind lanced through the air and struck Keith's single card, Mirror Force, and destroyed it. Keith scowled. "Next, I play Guardian of the Throne Room (1650/1600) in Attack Mode, and attack you directly." A yellow robot with a relatively human torso attached to tank treads and shoulder-mounted missiles appeared before him. It lowered its body, and launched a barrage of missiles at Keith.  
  
Keith: 2350 Bomber: 4000  
  
"Yeah, get him Kirbin!" Joy cheered from the sidelines. Bomber smiled back at her briefly and set his mind back on the Duel.  
  
Keith slapped a card off of his deck and slammed it on the field. "I play Mechanical Chaser (1850/800) and tear apart your Guardian of the Throne Room!" A spherical machine with multiple appendages, each of which carried a deadly blade appeared. It shot forth at the yellow machine, blades raised, and-  
  
"I activate both my facedown cards, Blind Destruction and Needle Wall!" cried Bomber as his two cards flipped up. First, an infinitely large battleship appeared above the field, thousands of laser turrets scattered about its hull. Next, two stone panels measuring about 6'x6' appeared to the side of the field, one in the middle of the field and the other just in front of Keith. The sides that faced each other were covered in spikes. "Here's what happens now," Bomber explained, "with Blind Destruction I roll a die, and any Monster with a level equal to the number rolled is destroyed, and any Monster with level 6 or higher is destroyed if I roll a 6. With Needle Wall, I roll another die, and the Monster Card Zone on your field that I roll is swept clean of any Monsters on it. On a roll of 6, I roll again. However, this won't happen until my turn, so your Attack goes off." The Mechanical Chaser sliced through the Guardian, and Bomber's Life Points dropped a small amount. Keith played a card facedown and ended his turn.  
  
Keith: 2350 Bomber: 3800  
  
"Now it's my turn," Bomber said as he drew. Two holographic dice appeared. The first rolled and came up 5, the other 1. Lasers slashed across the field, however both Monsters were left unharmed. The Needle Wall slid across the ground two spaces to the Mechanical Chaser's left, and both walls slammed together, though they left no effect. Bomber simply ended his turn without playing any more cards.  
  
Keith drew a card and smirked. "I play Card Destruction, sacrificing my hand for a new one." He tossed his hand into the graveyard, and Bomber did likewise. Then they both drew replacement hands. "Next, I activate my facedown Return of the Doomed, sacrificing my Mechanical Chaser to call forth the Barrel Dragon (2600/2200) from my Graveyard!" The Mechanical Chaser disappeared, but was immediately replaced by an immense mechanical dragon with three humongous laser cannons that rotated about its upper body. "Now, I get to flip three coins," three coins appeared in midair before him, twirling, "if two of them land on heads, I can destroy your facedown Monster automatically." All three coins flipped a bit higher into the air and then came plummeting down to the floor, spinning as they slowly revealed the results of the flips. Heads...a tails...and one more heads.  
  
Keith laughed in triumph.  
  
Joy gasped.  
  
The Barrel Dragon fired its cannons.  
  
And Bomber grinned, "You just attacked my Man Eater Bug (450/600)." The brown, man-sized insect appeared, then leaped onto the Barrel Dragon's face and exploded, taking the machine with it. He drew a card, rolled both dice, and ignored their results. "Now I play Monster Reborn, to revive Barrel Dragon (again) on my side of the field and finish you off." The Barrel Dragon appeared again, and this time finally got to use its lasers to kill something off.  
  
Keith: 0 Bomber: 3800  
  
Bandit Keith swore and foamed at the mouth. Then he ran at Bomber screaming, "I'm gonna kill you, you little-" before Bomber punched him in the jaw.  
  
Bomber reverted his form back to Kirbin, who leaned down and took Keith's chip and Barrel Dragon before walking back to Joy and saying cheerfully, "So, where exactly were we going?"  
  
"Um, downstairs," Joy replied slightly nervously.  
  
"Right, right," Kirbin muttered as he recalled.  
  
"What about him?" Joy asked as she motioned to the unconscious Bandit Keith.  
  
Kirbin looked down at him, looked back at her, and with the same tone of voice asked, "What about him?" before heading for the elevator. Joy gave up and followed him.  
  
Well, that's eight chapters up, who knows how many more to go? Meanwhile, please read my other fics, Twilight Realm and Lost Items of Legend. 


	9. The Tide of Battle

Thanks to everyone who has supported my story so far. I'm nearing the half- year mark and I just wanted to say thanks.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Nine: The Tide of Battle  
Also Entitled: Man, I'm Bad With Puns  
  
"Attack, my monster!" A tremendous claw lashed out and slashed at the opposing duelist, whose Life Points plummeted from the blow. The duel was over. The holograms of the match faded away as the victor and loser walked towards each other. The loser, with microchip and a rare card in his hand, offered them to his opponent, who took them. The victor then walked away, a smile on his face carrying the message of his accomplishment. Now he was one step closer to the finals.  
  
"I attack with the Beast of Talwar!"  
  
"Then I activate my Trap Card, Mirror Force!"  
  
Around Yugi and the others, duels raged on. Yes, there were duelists, duelists everywhere, and not an opponent to duel (hee hee, I kill myself). Five of them had two chips, Giyan was the only one left with one. However, for the purpose of fairness, we're going to let him duel now.  
  
"Now, with the field clear, I shall attack you directly with the Amphibian Beast!" shouted a very familiar voice.  
  
Mako Tsunami stood victorious. The Amphibian Beast stood before him, its green scales glinting due to the water that dampened it. It was wading through knee-length water, an effect of the Umi card that was now active. But both the Umi and Amphibian Beast soon faded away as Mako walked forward to accept his prize.  
  
"Hey, Mako, how ya doing?" inquired Joey as he stepped forward to greet Mako.  
  
"Quite well, my friend, I have just won my second star chip," he responded, and shook Joey's hand heartily. "Speaking of which, would you care to duel, I am prepared to win back my Legendary Fisherman."  
  
"I think not," said Giyan, stepping forward, "apparently, you have been misled to believe that I, with just one chip, will allow you two to duel for a grand total of four right in front of my face."  
  
"Ah," said Mako as he looked at Giyan, "so apparently you wish to be my opponent first. Very well, then. Tell me though, what is your name?"  
  
"My name is Giyan," he replied, "I know you have at least two microchips, but I myself only have one."  
  
"That's fine," replied Mako, "it doesn't matter to me how many chips you have, I am sure that an opponent as eager as yourself would be quite a worthy one."  
  
"I appreciate your compliments, but I did not come here to talk, I came here to duel."  
  
"Then let's begin," concluded Mako. Both DD2's activated, and the duel began.  
  
Mako: 4000 Giyan: 4000  
  
"I'll begin by playing the 7-Colored Fish (1800/800) in attack mode, along with the Umi field card, which will raise its attack and defense by 200 points," a fish with rainbow-patterned scales emerged in front of Mako. Then, knee-high water covered the area they were dueling, and the fish's power rose to 2000/1000 as it dove under the water."  
  
Giyan drew his card before he said, "I'll just play a monster in defense mode and a card facedown," both cards appeared in front of him, and he signaled the end of his turn.  
  
"My turn, then," said Mako, "and I'll attack your facedown card with the 7- Colored Fish." At his words, the rainbow fish sprang out of the water and lunged at the card, which revealed itself to be a green-clothed elf with blue skin.  
  
"My Mystical Elf (800/2000) is able to fend off your 7-Colored Fish, even with its power boost," explained Giyan as both monsters fought, then backed off. "And, now that it's my turn, I'll sacrifice my Mystical Elf to call forth the Summoned Skull (2500/1200) and destroy your fish!"  
  
A large, skeletal demo appeared before him, then generated electricity between its claws and thrust the energy at the Fish, electrocuting it.  
  
Mako: 3500 Giyan: 4000  
  
"Your Summoned Skull is powerful," complimented Mako, "but with the card I've just drawn, it won't be around much longer. I play the Turtle Oath! By sacrificing the Great White and Cure Mermaid from my hand, I can summon the mighty Crab Turtle (2550/2500)!" A large turtle shell appeared in front of Mako, and from it emerged legs that consisted of both crustacean and humanoid features in the bottom holes, crab claws from the two holes above them, and an eyes in the top hole. "The Crab Turtle is my strongest monster," stated Mako, "and now you shall feel its awesome power! Crab Turtle, attack the Summoned Skull!" The Crab Turtle, with its power boost from Umi boosting it to 2750/2700, stomped towards the demon and grabbed it in one immense claw before crushing it in the great mandibles.  
  
Mako: 3500 Giyan: 3750  
  
"I must admit, Mako," said Giyan, "your Crab Turtle is at a level of power that I have only opposed a handful of times. However, you have just shown that there is always a stronger monster, and the card I've just drawn just convinces me that your theory is correct. I activate Monster Reborn, reviving my Summoned Skull." Once again, the large skeletal demon appeared.  
  
"What good will that do you?" inquired Mako confusedly, "My Crab Turtle can easily attack it again."  
  
"That may appear to be the case right now, but I assure you that my Summoned Skull will not be here for long, instead it will be replaced by a much stronger monster."  
  
"You mean..."  
  
"That's right. I now activate Polymerization, fusing the Summoned Skull with the Red Eyes Black Dragon in my hand and summoning the mighty Black Skull Dragon (3200/2500)!" Once again the Summoned Skull appeared in front of Giyan, and next to it emerged the great black dragon, its red eyes gleaming like rubies. Then they whirled and merged together, and were replaced by a larger black dragon that was covered in bones, with twin horns sprouting from the sides of its skull. "The Black Skull Dragon is one of the most powerful monsters in the entire game," stated Giyan with confidence, "unfortunately, I can't attack with it this turn, since it's a fusion. So I'll end my turn by placing a monster facedown."  
  
"My move then," said Mako as he drew while trying to hide his nervousness, "and I'll switch the Crab Turtle to defense mode, set another monster in defense mode, and set a card facedown." Both cards appeared in front of him, and the Crab Turtle retracted its limbs into its shell.  
  
"My move," said Giyan, "and I play the card Change of Heart, allowing me to take control of your Crab Turtle!" The Crab Turtle stretched back out of its shell, then walked over to Giyan's side of the field and faced Mako. "I then flip my facedown Magician of Faith (300/400), allowing me to regain the Change of Heart card from my graveyard and use it again, this time on your facedown card." Mako's facedown monster, which revealed itself to be the Aqua Madoor (1200/2000) floated over to Giyan's side of the field beside the Crab Turtle and also faced Mako. "Now, I order an all-out assault on your Life Points! Attack him directly!"  
  
"Not so fast!" cried Mako as his facedown card flipped up, "I activate the Tornado Wall!" Several whirlpools sprung up in the water in front of Mako, knocking all of Giyan's attacking forces back. "As long as this card and the Umi card are active, all damage inflicted to my Life Points will be decreased to 0, the perfect shield for me. And now, I think I'll take my monsters back."  
  
"Actually, before my turn ends, I'll sacrifice both my facedown monsters to summon the Wingweaver (2750/2400) in attack mode," said Giyan as both the Crab Turtle and Aqua Madoor were replaced by the powerful fairy.  
  
"I set one card facedown, a monster in defense mode, and end my turn," stated Mako.  
  
"I set one card facedown," declared Giyan, "and then I attack your monster with my Wingweaver!" The fairy swept forward and slashed at the facedown card, revealing a small boat, which was immediately destroyed. However, soon after the ship disappeared, the Wingweaver began to glow with a strange aura before it blew apart in a loud explosion.  
  
"What happened?" exclaimed Giyan in surprise.  
  
"Your Wingweaver destroyed the Yomi Ship (800/1400)," explained Mako, "and whenever it is destroyed in battle, it takes the monster that destroyed it with it. Now it's my turn. I will summon the Jellyfish (1200/1500), and then I'll activate my facedown Torrential Tribute, destroying every monster on the field!" A large geyser of water shot from the card, blowing away the Jellyfish, Black Skull Dragon, and the Magician of Faith. "But that's not all," continued Mako as he looked across the now-empty field at Giyan, "because now I play my own Monster Reborn, reviving your Black Skull Dragon!" Once again, the mighty demon-dragon reared its head and stomped onto the field, but this time on Mako's side of the field. "Now, I'll attack your Life Points directly!" The dragon opened its mouth and fired a blast of fireballs at Giyan, taking his Life Points down substantially.  
  
Mako: 3500 Giyan: 550  
  
"It's now your turn," said Mako, "your last turn," he added.  
  
Giyan drew a card and allowed himself to smile. He then looked up and said, "Well, in a way this is my last turn. However it is also the last turn of this duel. I play the Magic card Dark Hole!" A large vortex appeared in the center of the field, and it pulled the Black Skull Dragon into its depths before it disappeared completely. "And now," continued Giyan, "I activate my facedown Call of the Haunted, reviving the Black Skull Dragon!" The Black Skull Dragon, yet again, appeared on Giyan's side of the field, and it did not look happy about dying twice in quick succession.  
  
"Your Dragon is as strong as ever," Mako admitted, "but it can still not hope to break through my Tornado Wall."  
  
"I won't have to worry about the wall for long," declared Giyan, "because I now play the Mystic Plasma Zone, canceling out your Umi card and thus deactivating the Tornado Wall."  
  
Mako watched in horror as the small sea that he had created instantly became dry and another dark vortex appeared above the field, powering up the Black Skull Dragon to 3700/2100.  
  
"And now," said Giyan, "attack, my mighty dragon!" The immense Black Skull Dragon let out another, more powerful series of fireballs that consumed Mako and the rest of his Life Points.  
  
Mako: 0 Giyan: 550  
  
Mako watched as the dragon faded and his DD2 shut down. He offered one of his two chips to Giyan, who took it. He then offered Giyan the Crab Turtle, but he refused to take it. "But I insist," persisted Mako as he kept shoving the card out at him.  
  
"No," said Giyan as he pushed back the card, "I don't even have the cards to summon it, besides, you'll need it for your other duels."  
  
"Yeah," piped in Joey, "besides, you wouldn't want it to be like a trade for this, now would you." He held out The Legendary Fisherman card to Mako.  
  
------------------  
  
Okay, you can just see it now, Joey giving the card back, a whole ton of talking, making t seem like a Tea speech, yada yada. Look, according to my contract, I listed the fic as Action/Adventure/Humor, so I have to include a bit of humor. So, a guy walks into a bar when-  
  
SLAM!  
  
Ouch...  
  
Sorry about that folks, sometimes my insane spotlight-hogging clone sneaks out of his padded cell. Luckily, I have a sledgehammer for just such an occasion. Unfortunately, the chapter is over, so you can't see the mushy scene. Sorry. Be sure to review and don't forget to check out the next chapter, along with my other two stories, Twilight Realm and Lost Items of Legend. 


	10. Burst of Magic

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Before we begin, I just have a few things to say.  
  
First of all, two reviews that I feel I must reply to.  
  
moczo: If you don't like my characters, don't read the story. There will be an explanation of Kirbin's past (much) later on. Until then, lay off. I'll design my characters the way I want.  
  
andy: I've been hammered for my inaccuracy in describing cards' effects throughout the time I've been writing this story. However, this time I can defend myself. Just go to yugiohetc.com, click on "single cards", click on "Labyrinth of Nightmare", click on "non-rares", and scroll down to the link to Tornado Wall.  
  
Secondly, I'd like to thank everyone who has supported me throughout my time as an author on ff.net. You've all been great with your constructive criticism and it's helped me become a better writer. This Friday is my six- month anniversary on ff.net.  
  
With that, enjoy the story.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Ten: Burst of Magic  
Also Entitled: If a Muggle Walked Into Hogwarts  
  
Twin swords cut through him with ease. His Life Points plummeted from the attack and he fell backwards from the shock of seeing the armed thing seemingly cut through him. Then the one who had dealt the final blow faded away, and its master stepped forward to accept his prize.  
  
The Duel was over, as was the loser's time in the tournament. He handed over a microchip and his rarest card, which his opponent pocketed. The victor then walked away, feeling content with the feeling of being a little bit closer to the finals.  
  
But the loser was simply content that the Duel was made of holographic images. He had been defeated in these holographic duels before, but always by a strong monster like a Dark Magician. This thing that defeated him, however, simply wielded two swords instead of a magical blast. The loser felt that he could have handled an instant death, but two swords would have cleaved through him, and his blood would have...it sickened him to think about it.  
  
"And now that your monster has been destroyed by my Thousand Knives Magic Card, I can attack your Life Points directly!" With a single Dark Magic Attack, the mighty spell caster that was the Dark Magician won the Duel for its master. As the victor received his prize from the defeated duelist, he issued a challenge to the duelists about him. "Come one, come all, prepare yourselves to be amazed by the great dueling talent of Rerecros, the magician duelist!"  
  
Naturally, for the good of the plot of the story, Yugi and his friends had happened to be passing by, and among them were five duelists eager for an opponent. "I suppose you want an opponent?" shouted Term to Rerecros.  
  
"Of course, yes," he replied, "all good acts require a volunteer from the audience."  
  
Term was suddenly in front of him. Rerecros jumped back in surprise, then calmed himself. "So," he said, "you wish to face me in a duel. Very well then, but I must warn you, you don't stand a chance."  
  
"I was about to say the same to you," replied Term coolly. He walked a short ways away from Rerecros before their DD2's activated.  
  
Rerecros: 4000 Term: 4000  
  
"This looks like it'll be interesting," said Yugi, "from what I've seen from them both, these two look like great duelists."  
  
"Maybe so," said Giyan, "but I've never seen Term lose a duel, and I don't think a wannabe magician can beat him."  
  
Rerecros overheard the last comment. "HOW DARE YOU!" he cried in anger, "YOU SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR THE INSULT YOU HAVE JUST DEALT TO THE GREAT RERECROS!"  
  
"Plus, he's never lost to someone who speaks in the third person," muttered Giyan.  
  
"Now, to the matter at hand," began Rerecros as he drew a card, "I play a card facedown, plus the field card Yami, raising all Fiends' and Spellcasters' attack and defense by 200 points. Now I'll play Neo the Magic Swordsman (1700/1000) in attack mode, and Yami powers him up to 1900/1200!" Several things happened on the field. First, a facedown card appeared in front of Rerecros. Then a blanket of darkness covered the field and red lightning crackled through the air. Finally, a blonde man in silver and black armor appeared with a sword in one hand while the other glowed with a blue aura. "I'll end my turn here."  
  
"Then I play a card facedown, and my Battle Ox (1700/1000)in attack mode."  
  
"You fool! Your ox is easily weaker than my Swordsman, and now that it's my turn, I order him to attack!"  
  
"You just fell into my trap," countered Term as he flipped up his facedown card, "the Reverse Trap will now decrease 400 points from your Swordsman's attack and defense, making it weak enough for my Battle Ox to easily take care of." Neo lunged at the Battle Ox, its sword raised, but as the trap took over, its power decreased to 1500/800. The Battle Ox then leapt out of the sword's path and brought its axe down on Neo's vulnerable head, killing him instantly.  
  
Rerecros: 3800 Term: 4000  
  
"And now it's my turn," said Term, "so, I'll have my Battle Ox attack you directly." The minotaur swung its axe with a mighty heave, slicing through Rerecros and taking away a chunk of his Life Points.  
  
Rerecros: 2100 Term: 4000  
  
"You may have defeated my Swordsman," stated Rerecros as he drew a card, "but now I shall wreak my vengeance. I summon the Skilled Dark Magician (1900/1700) in attack mode!" A spellcaster wielding a staff similar to that of a Dark Magician appeared. It was clothed in black and blue robes and seemed to emit a dark aura. "Now I activate my facedown card, Pitch-Black Power Stone, which will send three Magic counters too my Skilled Dark Magician!" A black orb with a yellow triangle at its center appeared. Three small balls of energy emitted from it and were absorbed into the Skilled Dark Magician's staff. "Now that he has three magic counters, my Skilled Dark Magician can be used as a sacrifice, to summon my Dark Magician (2500/2100)!" A large column of black energy was released from the Skilled Dark Magician. A few seconds later, the column disappeared, and standing where the Skilled Dark Magician had just been was its more powerful counterpart. "And now, with its power boost from the Yami field card, I order my Dark Magician to attack!" The Dark Magician (2700/2300) raised its green staff and blasted the Battle Ox with a Dark Magic Attack.  
  
Rerocros: 2100 Term: 3000  
  
"Your Dark Magician is strong," commented Term, "but that does not make it invulnerable. I play Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three cards and discard two." He did so. "Now I'll just play two cards facedown and a monster in defense mode before ending my turn," all three cards appeared in front of him.  
  
Rerecros laughed in triumph as he drew his card. "I play the Book of Secret Arts on my Dark Magician!" he exclaimed. Immediately, the magician's power rose to 3000/2400. "And now," he continued, "I play A Thousand Knives! With this card, I am able to destroy your defending monster!" Six knives appeared in the Dark Magician's hands. As he threw them at the facedown card, hundreds more appeared behind him and followed the first six. The card quickly resembled an abused pincushion and was revealed as the Axe Raider before disappearing. "Now, with the field clear, my Dark Magician can attack you directly and finish you off!" The Dark Magician prepared to deal the final blow, raising its staff to deliver one more magical blast.  
  
"But before it can do that," interrupted Term, "I activate Call of the Haunted, reviving Gaia the Fierce Knight (2300/2100) from my graveyard to the field in attack mode!" A knight in blue armor with red blades in several areas appeared. In either hand he carried a red lance, and he was seated atop a purple horse.  
  
"You fool!" Gaia is weaker than my Dark Magician anyway, but it's too late for you to change your mind now that my Dark Magician has already attacked!"  
  
"That's why I'm activating my other facedown card," said Term, "Rush Recklessly, which will power up Gaia's attack to 3000, matching your Dark Magician point-for-point." Magician and knight clashed in a frenzied battle, staff and lance locked in melee combat. Eventually, both were run through by the other's weapon, and disappeared.  
  
"NO!" cried Rerecros in anguish as he witnessed his magician fall.  
  
"Now that it's my turn, I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight (1800/1000) in attack mode, and attack directly!" Another knight appeared, this one completely covered in black armor with streaks of silver. From either gauntlet a blade extended forward from the wrist. After appearing, it charged at Rerecros and swiped at him with one of its blades.  
  
Rerecros: 300 Term: 3000  
  
Rerecros drew a card nervously and grimaced. There wasn't a single monster in his hand! But there was still one last chance. "I play Pot of Greed," he said, "and now I draw two more cards." He looked at the cards and grinned. "I play two cards facedown and end my turn," he said.  
  
"Then I play Goblin Attack Force (2200/0)," said Term, "and now I order Gearfried to attack!" Gearfried lunged at Rerecros again, prepared to finish the duel. But Rerecros pressed a button on his DD2.  
  
"It's not over yet," he said, "I activate the Spellbinding Circle, which will prevent your Gearfried from attacking or changing its position." A yellow ring of light appeared around Gearfried. Though he struggled, he could not move at all.  
  
"That's what I was counting on," said Term, "but now that you've used that trap, I can attack with Goblin Attack Force!" The small mob of goblins rushed forward, pickaxes, swords, hammers, and other assorted weapons waving in the air.  
  
"You've forgotten my other facedown card," said Rerecros, "the Magic Cylinder will stop your attack and fire it right back at you." Two pink cylinders with a hole each at their bottoms appeared. The Goblin Attack Force charged right into one, then flew right out of the other and began beating on Term!  
  
Rerecros: 300 Term: 800  
  
"Before I end my turn," said Term, "I play one card facedown and end my turn."  
  
"Well now," said Rerecros as he looked at the card he drew, "it looks like now I have my shot at winning. I play the magic card, the Dark Magic Curtain!" A black curtain appeared in front of Rerecros. "By paying half of my Life Points, I can now summon..."The curtain then dropped to reveal another Dark Magician. "My second Dark Magician! Dark Magician, attack Gearfried the Iron Knight!" The Dark Magician released another Dark Magic Attack; soon it would envelope the knight.  
  
"I won't be defeated!" cried Term, "I activate my facedown Mystical Space Typhoon, which will destroy the Yami field card and take away the Dark Magician's power boost!" The black sky and red lightning above the field disappeared, and the Dark Magician lost a bit of its power. However, Gearfried, as well as a chunk of Term's Life Points, was destroyed.  
  
Rerecros: 150 Term: 100  
  
"You may have survived for now," said Rerecros, "but one more turn and I'll take you down!"  
  
"That's what you think," said Term, "but the card I've just drawn says otherwise. I play the Spell card Costdown, which will lower the level of one monster in my hand by one. I choose the card that I will summon now! I sacrifice my Goblin Attack Force to summon my strongest monster to the field!" The Goblin Attack Force disappeared, and a summoning vortex took its place. "Behold, the Mystical Knight of Jackal (2700/1200)!" What emerged from the portal looked like the Egyptian God known as Anubis. The half-man half-jackal that appeared was garbed in a green Egyptian headdress and armor. A blue cape was slung about its shoulders, and in either hand it wielded a golden weapon with a spear-blade just above the handle. "Mystical Knight of Jackal, attack the Dark Magician and finish the duel!" The mighty beast's eyes blazed red as it leapt at the spellcaster and ran it through with one of its weapons. The Dark Magician disappeared with a cry of agony.  
  
Rerecros: 0 Term: 100  
  
Rerecros's shoulders slumped and he bowed his head as the holograms faded. Term walked forward and extended his arm for a handshake, which Rerecros returned vigorously (though he eventually pulled away from it due to the temperature of Term's hand). "Your dueling skills are quite admirable," he said as he dug through his deck for his rarest card.  
  
"You aren't so bad yourself," returned Term, "it has been awhile since I have had such a close duel." Rerecros found his Magic Cylinder card and handed it to Term along with his two chips.  
  
"I expect you to make it to the finals," said Rerecros as Term took the card and chips, "I wouldn't want to have to tell my friends that I lost to a second-rate duelist." And he laughed then and turned away to return to his room.  
  
Longest duel yet on Tokyo Tournament, 1,530 words from start to finish. Hope everyone liked reading this duel as much as I enjoyed writing it. Until next update, please read and review my other stories, Twilight Realm and Lost Items of Legend. 


	11. Putting it all Together

Before we begin, I have just a few things to say. First, NO MORE OCS! I DO NOT NEED ANY MORE OCS! STOP SENDING THEM!  
  
Second, I'd like to apologize to moczo for my aggressive reaction to his review. However, I'd like to explain that Kirbin is not a schizophrenic. The seven essences that occupy his body are basically like yamis, and also, his powers only work when he is one of their forms. There is a back-story to explain everything, but you'll have to wait awhile to hear it.  
  
Finally, I'm on Winter Break right now, so you could probably expect another update very soon. Also, Merry Christmas/Happy Chanukah/Happy Kwanza to you guys.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter Eleven- Putting it all Together  
Also Entitled-Now That's Just Not Fair!  
  
Espa Roba laughed tauntingly. He just had to wait one turn to deliver the final blow. His newest monster, Maha Vailo, had an unstoppable attack strength, and was flanked by Reflect Bounder and Jinzo #7. "You might as well just give up," he taunted his opponent, "since my Maha Vailo is equipped with Malevolent Nuzzler, Sword of the Deep Seated, Fairy Meteor Crush, and Mage Power, he has an attack power of 5750! Nothing will stop it from defeating you in one turn. If you hadn't used that Negate Attack, I would have won already. Plus, even if you do have a card that could attack my Jinzo #7 and actually take my Life Points down to 0, you know that I have my facedown Shift that I defended from your Harpie's Feather Duster with the Fake Trap. You don't stand a chance!"  
  
"I just need the right cards," said his opponent as he drew one card from his deck, "now, Pot of Greed will allow me to draw two more cards," he played the magic card, then drew his additional cards. "Now I flip my facedown Magician of Faith, returning the Harpie's Feather Duster to my hand so I can use it again now."  
  
"What!? No!" cried Espa Roba as his five cards were destroyed and his Maha Vailo's attack power dropped to its original 1550.  
  
"Now, I play this magic card," as he played the card on the field, a strange object that Roba had never seen before appeared. His opponent then took a card from his deck and placed it into his hand before reshuffling the deck. "Now, for the second card I drew, Graceful Charity." He picked up three cards from his deck, then tossed one of the ones he drew into his graveyard along with the card he had selected from his deck. "Now, I play Monster Reborn, reviving the monster I discarded!" A mighty sword-wielding monster stood now in front of him, its blade studded with several jewels. "Finally, I activate my facedown card, which will give my monster a power boost by affecting your monster."  
  
"What?" asked Roba in confusion, but then recognition dawned upon him as a wave of energy swept over the field, altering every monster on it, "oh no..."  
  
"Now, my ultimate monster, destroy the Jinzo!" the mighty blade, now glowing with an awesome aura, cut through the small machine with ease, and Espa Roba's Life Points dropped to zero.  
  
"NO!" he cried in anguish as he dropped to his knees in defeat.  
  
-elsewhere-  
  
-man, that sounds good. I have to use that phrase more. Elsewhere . . .  
elsewhere . . . elsewhere . . .-  
  
Joey's stomach growled. As if that was a signal, so did almost everyone else's. It was now noon, and hunger was a shared feeling in the hotel as the deli prepared to open.  
  
"I need food..." said someone in the group. It doesn't really matter who, considering everyone else was thinking that same thing anyway.  
  
"Alright," said Yugi, "one more duel, then time to eat..." There were mutters of agreement.  
  
Just then, as if the great deity from above had received their call, a duelist immediately walked up to them and said, "Okay, first off, I want to duel as soon as possible, so that I can eat lunch. Second of all...oh what the heck. Someone just duel me so that I can eat. I promised myself I'd have four chips by lunch..."  
  
-and so...-  
  
"Okay," said the challenger, who announced himself as Larijin from the plane, "so let's get this over with. I'll go first by laying a monster in defense mode, and setting two cards facedown"  
  
His opponent was Lin, who was in fact probably the most eager person to duel rather than eat right now.  
  
Larijin: 4000 Lin: 4000  
  
"Alright," began Lin, "I play Nobleman of Crossout, removing your facedown monster from play." A man wearing silver armor with long blonde hair hanging out of the helmet appeared, a long-bladed sword at the ready.  
  
"Before your Nobleman can do that," said Larijin, "I activate my facedown Magic Jammer, discarding a card from my hand to negate its effect." A hexagram appeared around the Nobleman, who immediately began to fade out of existence, the Magic Jammer going with him.  
  
"Your monster won't survive for long," stated Lin, "I set a card facedown, and summon Celtic Guardian (1400/1200) to the field in attack mode, plus I equip him with the Lightning Blade, powering him up by 800 attack points!" The elven warrior appeared before Lin, his signature broad sword crackling with electricity, pumping up his attack to 2200. "Celtic Guardian, attack the facedown card!" The elven swordsman rushed at the horizontal card, its sword pulsing with energy now raised above its head. It swung the weapon with a cry at its target, but an armored man leapt in the blade's path and took the blow. Lin looked confused as his Life Points decreased.  
  
"Confused, are you?" inquired Larijin in a taunting tone, "Allow me to explain. When you attacked my Protector of the Throne (800/1500), I activated my facedown Reliable Guardian, which powered her defense up by seven hundred. Your Celtic Guardian, even with its Lightning Blade, was unable to destroy her. Now, its time for my counterattack. I begin by playing a field card known as the Fusion Gate." As he placed said card into his field slot, a purple vortex opened above the field, and the field itself became a pattern of green panels. "As long as the Fusion Gate stands," explained Larijin, "Fusion Monsters can be summoned without Polymerization if their Fusion components are on the field. Next I shall summon Guardian of the Labyrinth (1000/1200), in attack mode! Now, Guardian, Protector, leap into the Fusion Gate!" Another armored man appeared, this one with a demonic look about it. Both he and the Protector of the Throne leapt up and into the vortex above the field. Out of it leapt a blonde man draped in green and blue robes studded with several red gems. He carried a pale blue staff tipped with four blades. "Behold," announced Larijin, "Giltia the D. Knight (1850/1500)! And, finally, I shall equip Giltia the D. Knight with Elf's Light, increasing his attack by four hundred. Now, because Giltia was summoned by the Fusion Gate and not by the magic of Polymerization, he is able to attack now! Go forth, Giltia, smite the Celtic Guardian with your superior strength!"  
  
Giltia (2250/1300) raised his staff and rushed at the Celtic Guardian, who raised his sword to defend, only to have the weapon broken in two as the staff raked down through the air and sliced straight through the elf's armor.  
  
Larijin: 4000 Lin: 3950  
  
Lin shook off the glancing blow and drew his card, which he immediately placed on the field, "I play the Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards." He slipped the two cards off the top of his deck, and grinned, "I summon Flash Assailant (2000/2000), in attack mode!" A tan man wearing a purple headband, white pants, and an eye-patch appeared, wielding a simple dagger.  
  
"You fool!" exclaimed Larijin, "The Flash Assailant looses four hundred attack and defense points for every card in the controller's hand, its one of the most useless cards in the game!"  
  
"While that may be true," conceded Lin, as the attack and defense points of his monster dropped all the way down to 400/400, "but now I activate Reverse Trap, to reverse the gains and losses in attack and defense points! Now my Flash Assailant has an enormous attack power, while you Giltia is a weakling. Flash Assailant, attack!"  
  
The assassin, its power now at 3600/3600, leapt at Giltia (1450/1700), and struck him in the air.  
  
Larijin: 1850 Lin: 3950  
  
"And, before I end my turn, I set a card facedown, so that once it is your turn, my Flash Assailant will have at least a slightly better chance of surviving." A card appeared just behind the Flash Assailant, whose power was boosted to 800/800.  
  
"Then it is now my turn," declared Larijin as he drew, "I play Graceful Charity, drawing three cards at the cost of two." As he performed said task, he laughed and slapped the one card left in his hand onto the field, "I activate Monster Reborn, to revive Sanga of the Thunder (2600/2200), which I discarded to help pay the cost of Graceful Charity!" Sanga appeared, his golden yellow body of metal crackling with energy. The legless Sanga floated in the air above Larijin, fists clenched in anticipation of battle. "Sanga! Attack and destroy the weak Flash Assailant!"  
  
Sanga raised his arms, forming a ball of electrical power in his hands, and then releasing it at the assassin.  
  
"I activate the trap card Negate Attack, blocking your assault and forcing you to end your turn!" Lin cried as his facedown card flipped up and a barrier rose between Sanga and the Flash Assailant, causing Sanga to plow headlong into it. The great entity of thunder got up, wiped itself off and floated back to its own side of the field, fuming. "Now that it's my turn," said Lin as he drew, "I sacrifice my Flash Assailant for Freed the Matchless General (2300/1700), in attack mode!" A man that looked to be in his middle ages stepped onto the field as the Flash Assailant disappeared. He wore light armor, and his hair was long and blonde. "Freed may not have the strength to defeat Sanga of the Thunder, but now I'm placing two cards facedown."  
  
"I'm no fool," said Larijin with a grin as he drew, "that card is obviously a card like Reinforcements, which will power up your Freed or weaken my Sanga just enough that Freed will win the battle. But let's see what this Pot of Greed gives me to counter that." He placed the spell card onto his Duel Disk, then drew two more cards before laughing heartily. "I play the spell cards Shallow Grave and Premature Burial. The Grave allows both of us to set a card from our graveyards onto the field, while Premature Burial makes me pay eight hundred Life Points to revive one of my cards. I choose Kazejin (2400/2200) in attack mode!" The green entity of the wind appeared, blowing air from its bulbous form as the two horizontal defense monsters appeared. "Now I flip summon Suijin (2500/2400), and I sacrifice all three of my monsters to form the ultimate monster, the Gate Guardian (3750/3400)!"  
  
The blue skull of the water entity Suijin appeared momentarily before Kazejin's arms retracted into its body and the wind entity floated onto Suijin's skull. Sanga then floated above both of them and connected to the top of Kazejin, completing the construction of one of the most powerful monsters in the game of Duel Monsters. "Gate Guardian!" cried Larijin, "Call upon your mighty powers ad destroy Freed!" Lightning, wind and water merged in the arms of the Gate Guardian, forming a mighty monsoon that crackled with energy. The Guardian then invoked the monsoon, driving it forth at the General.  
  
"I activate Waboku!" yelled Lin over the wind. One of his cards flipped up, revealing three women in blue robes. The women began chanting, and a light lanced from them at the monsoon, dispelling it instantly.  
  
Larijin: 1050 Lin: 3950  
  
The Gate Guardian seemed furious as the trap faded away, and Larijin began pulling out his hair in frustration. "There's nothing left you can do now," said Lin, "I now use Freed's effect, which allows me to search my deck for a Warrior monster and put it into my hand. I choose the card that I shall summon now!" A bird-headed soldier wielding a rapier appeared next to Freed. "Hayabusa Knight (1000/700)! And now I use my facedown Secret Passage to the Treasures, allowing him to attack directly!"  
  
A square in the ground in front of the Hayabusa Knight disappeared to reveal a tunnel, and the bird warrior leapt into it. Another square hole behind the Gate Guardian appeared, and the Knight leapt out of it and slashed at Larijin. "Now!" commanded Lin, "Attack again!" The rapier again cut through the air and struck Larijin, ending the duel.  
  
Larijin: 0 Lin: 3950  
  
The holographic fighters faded away, and Larijin stepped forward, looking a bit angry but also satisfied at the same time. "You didn't even have the guts to take on my Gate Guardian!" he spat.  
  
"Well, of course," said Lin, "that would've been suicide. Not a single card in my deck could've taken that thing on. I had to employ indirect means of defeating you."  
  
Larijin still looked a bit angry, but also seemed to accept the explanation. "I'll take your Premature Burial," said Lin as his opponent shuffled through his deck, "I'm pretty sure you'll be needing your Gate Guardian and its pieces for the rest of your time in the tournament."  
  
"Thank you," said Larijin a slightly relieved tone as he handed over the card and quickly walked to the cafeteria.  
  
"Okay," said Joey, "ya got the duel, ya got the prize, now, before we all starve to death, can we please just eat!?"  
  
Lin smiled as he pocketed the card and simply nodded.  
  
Thanks for reading. Next chapter should be up soon, but I can't make promises. Until then, please read my other stories and review. Happy Holidays. 


	12. Evils, Allies, and Others

Disclaimer: Thunder is owned by Chuck ZFB, not me.  
  
Before we begin what I am sure I will enjoy in my later days of writing in this three-chapter saga of Tokyo Tournament, I'd like to let everyone know about a Matrix fic I've recently started, entitled The Matrix Revamped. As of now I only have one reviewer, so please check it out. Also, a few review responses are in order.  
  
First off- SulliMike23, that was Jinzo #7, not Jinzo. Jinzo # 7 is a 500 attack monster that can attack directly, if you don't already know.  
  
Also, Yoshimo: You'll have to wait for a while until you find out who those duelists are. Secondly, I have currently lost interest in my other fics and am placing them on hiatus until I finish this story. Finally, your threats mean nothing to me, since I don't read Megaman fics.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Twelve-Evils, Allies, and Others  
Also Entitled: Yep, That's a Good Smorgasbord of People Right There  
  
Two figures stepped towards each other in the otherwise empty hallway. Both wore Duel Disks, but they were not here to battle.  
  
"You weren't supposed to come here," one said to the other.  
  
"Oh come on, you think I'm going to let you have all the fun here?" the other replied.  
  
"Your little stunt on the plane was bad enough, but do you have to go around toting that card about? People aren't even supposed to know it exists."  
  
"Oh, come on, what's the worst that could happen?"  
  
"Remember the last time you said that?"  
  
"Hey, there aren't any explosives involved this time."  
  
"No," the first agreed, finally calming down. His tone became much more serious, "Something much more powerful is involved this time."  
  
- . . . Elsewhere . . . –  
  
A figure sat in front of a bright screen in an otherwise pitch black room. He watched the numerous duels with interest. But they lacked a great deal of something. What was it, though? The man pondered a few moments. Ah, yes, significance. He turned towards the man standing beside him. "Tell those duelists to find the Pharaoh and his bodyguards. I need a bigger show than this."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
- . . . The Cafeteria . . . –  
  
It is a wonderful thing, food. Food provides energy that all animals require to survive. Out of all of these species of animals, none is luckier than the human. Humans eat not just for energy, but also because they enjoy eating. The tongue receives as much treatment as the stomach. Dishes are prepared not to satisfy hunger, but to satisfy taste. However, in the wake of those who don't eat in periods of six to eight hours, this theory vanishes as the hunger overpowers the brain and begins the process of what is commonly known as pigging out.  
  
Such was the case for five young men who now threatened to lower the surplus problem in the area by several notches. Joey, Tristan, and Yugi were doing your basic scoffing, stabbing numerous bits of food with their forks, shoving said bits in their mouths, and doing so again before the previous batch was even half chewed. Giyan lifted bowl after bowl of rice to his mouth and emptied them rapidly with several movements of the chopsticks he wielded. Lin went at his smorgasbord of sushi like a Japanese chef, swiftly and repeatedly chopping his food with two knives and flipping the bits into his mouth. The slices were flipped so rapidly that one lodged itself in his throat before he could catch it in his mouth and Yamato had to beat his back until he coughed it up. He slowed down after that.  
  
Surprisingly, Yamato was not a big eater despite his size. He simply took out a blue bottle and drank from it through a small gap in the bandages that covered his face. Term, even more surprisingly, only drank a glass of water. Tea and Serenity watched the boys eat with different expressions. Tea's face seemed to say "You're pathetic," but Serenity watched with a sort of admiration. Bakura ate very little. This was, in part, due to the voice inside his head. Well . . . sort of . . .  
  
/Hello, Bakura/  
  
No, no, not you!   
  
/Oh, come now, you ought to know by now that no matter how many times I am sent to the Shadow Realm, I always return. Now then, I have important matters to attend to right now, so why don't I take over from here? /  
  
The Millennium Ring around Bakura's neck glowed briefly, then Bakura's eyes seemed to darken and he grew slightly in his chair. No one noticed this, as five people at the same table pigging out provided a pretty good distraction. Yami Bakura, the thieving spirit of the Millennium Ring, smirked briefly as he silently watched Yugi. It seemed right now that it would be impossible to separate Yugi from all the others. But today Fate seemed to smile on the ancient thief . . .  
  
"Ah," Joey let out a sigh as he set aside the shell of a lobster, "now dat's good chow."  
  
Tristan ripped the meat off a chicken leg, set the bone aside, chewed for three seconds, swallowed, and belched. "Oh yeah," he agreed.  
  
"Is it possible that you're eating a little too much?" Tea queried with a raised eyebrow. "After all, you guys sure seem to rush around a lot during tournaments. Plus you might not even have the energy to duel after gorging yourselves like that."  
  
"No need to worry," assured Giyan as he set down his twenty-seventh bowl, "most of this food will provide more energy than fat, we'll be fine. Well, except maybe for Joey . . . "  
  
"What? I only had three burgers."  
  
"Triples," Yamato mentioned as he took a swig from his bottle, "with extra cheese."  
  
". . . Shut . . . up . . . ,"  
  
Yamato seemed to grin under his bandages as laughter erupted around the table.  
  
Yugi smiled after the laughter subsided, "Well, I'm sure we'll all do fine in whatever circumstances. We've all done well so far, and I have confidence that we all have some wins ahead of us."  
  
Yugi's speech might have continued into one of those "inspiring" dialogues that we have all come to know all too well in watching the show, however such an occasion was spared as Lin began gagging.  
  
"Damn it, Lin!" yelled Term as he pounded his friend's back, "Quit trying to show off!"  
  
Giyan's eye twitched. It was something that happened to people every day, but it the movement caught everyone's attention to the extent that no one paid heed to the sushi that Lin coughed up.  
  
Giyan stood up, "I have to go, there are a few . . . business matters I have to attend to."  
  
"Okay," Yugi acknowledged with a smile, "I guess we'll see you later."  
  
Joey, Tristan, Tea, Serenity, and even Yami Bakura nodded. But Yamato, Lin, and Term all seemed to react strangely. Yamato's expression was unreadable, but Lin and Term's eyes seemed to be . . . uncertain about something. They seemed worried.  
  
Yami Bakura, on the other hand, grinned inwardly. This made the job circumstantially easier. And now Fate's smile widened.  
  
Joey got up and stretched. "Well, guess it's time to get going."  
  
Yugi stood up as well, "You're right, there's plenty of dueling we all still have to do."  
  
Joey's eyes opened as he felt a sort of breeze blow past him. He looked at his left wrist and found that his KS was missing. "WHAT THE-," his eyes turned into dinner plates momentarily before he sighted a short, slim man wearing all black. The man twirled Joey's KS around his finger before dashing off through the crowd of duelists. "Why that little . . . GET BACK HERE!" Joey commanded as he sprinted after the thief. And the eight behind him soon joined the chase.  
  
The thief was fast. He streaked around a corner without slowing down and continued to tear up the floor. Joey followed on the thief's heels and the others came from behind like an avalanche. Yugi was following up in the rear, and no one noticed as Yami Bakura slowed down slightly to come even with the owner of the Millennium Puzzle. Still no one, other than Yugi, noticed as he was tackled by the thousands-year-old thief into a portal leading into the Shadow Realm . . .  
  
As Joey almost reached the thief, his prey pulled out a smoke grenade and threw it to the ground. Tea, Tristan, and Serenity coughed as the gas filled their lungs momentarily before dissipating. When this happened, Joey, the thief, Yamato, Lin, and Term were nowhere in sight.  
  
. . . The Elevator . . . –  
  
"This is the slowest elevator I have ever been on," complained Joy as the indicator blinked from 7 to 6 after several minutes.  
  
"We have to be patient," said Kirbin, though frustration seemed to be dripping from his mouth.  
  
"Yeah, well, later I'm going to find the guy who made this thing and rip him a new a-," Joy's comment dropped short. Everything around Kirbin stopped. The indicator was halfway between 6 and 5. He was the only thing in the elevator moving. The push of the elevator's momentum was gone.  
  
Kirbin looked around. Nothing about him seemed to have caused the stop. The twin metal doors glowed blue and opened. A black void was beyond the doors. Kirbin's eyes narrowed. It was obvious that someone was luring him into a trap. It was also obvious that he really had nothing better to do, and he walked into the darkness.  
  
- . . . The Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
Term and Lin looked about the room. The brown stone walls were covered in the scriptures of the ancient Egyptians. Monsters were everywhere on the walls, every one of them a mighty battler. Some were magnificent to look upon, others were hideous and unholy beings.  
  
"So," said Lin, almost casually, though a bit of stress hindered the effect, "what do we do now?"  
  
"It would seem that we must walk," Term replied, and he set off down the corridor, with Lin following.  
  
Soon, the two came to a fork in the hallway. Two different paths branched off from the slightly larger one Term and Lin had come from. Above one of the halls, an ankh, the Egyptian symbol of life, was carved. A pentangle was carved above the other.  
  
"Looks like we have to make another choice here," commented Lin.  
  
"Let's take the ankh," Term decided as he walked to it, "a hallway labeled 'life' seems pretty safe." Lin began to follow him into the hallway. But as Term stepped beyond the ankh carving, a stone wall shot from the ground just behind him and cut off the two hallways from each other. "Well," muttered Term, "guess I might've been wrong." Alone now, he walked down the corridor.  
  
At the end was a large room that seemed to be a tomb of some sort. Standing on the altar was a brown-clad man wearing a Duel Disk. He grinned at Term as he was approached. Term recognized him as Exodus from the plane. "What are you doing here?" queried Term threateningly.  
  
"NOW," said Exodus in an inhuman voice the reverberated off the walls, "THAT REQUIRES A BIT OF AN EXPLANATION. YOU SEE, MY MASTER SENT OUT A NUMBER OF SKILLED DUELISTS TO DESTROY YOU AND YOUR COMRADES. ONE OF THEM WAS CHALLENGED BY MY CURRENT VESSEL, WHO LOST SPECTACULARLY. HIS SOUL WAS SENT TO THE SHADOW REALM. HOWEVER, HIS RARE CARDS AND ABILITY TO CONTROL A VERY POWERFUL MONSTER IMPRESSED MY MASTER, AND SO HE GAVE ME CONTROL OF HIS BODY TO USE IN THIS DUEL AGAINST YOU. HE HAS PROMISED ME THAT IF I WIN THAT HE WILL RELEASE ME FROM THE SHADOWS OF MY PRISON."  
  
"And just who are you?"  
  
Exodus grinned, "I am the monster that my vessel wields."  
  
"Very well," said Term as he activated his DD2, "let's get this over with so I can get out of here."  
  
"OH, DON'T WORRY ABOUT THAT," Exodus smirked, "YOU WON'T EVER GET OUT OF HERE, SO THERE'S REALLY NO RUSH."  
  
"Let's see you back up those words."  
  
. . . The other hallway . . . –  
  
Lin came to a large circular room decorated with many pentagrams. In the center of the room, a man wearing a black leather jacket decorated with pentagrams on the arms stood with his arms crossed. A metal pentagram dangled from his neck, and a black pentagram was tattooed on his forehead.  
  
Lin decided to keep things simple, "Who are you?"  
  
"Pentan, the last person you'll ever see."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yep," Pentan activated his DD2.  
  
"Looks like the conversations over," Lin activated his DD2.  
  
"Yep."  
  
. . . Somewhere else . . . –  
  
Yamato was annoyed. The room was covered in abstract art depicting a whole ton of . . . clowns. Yamato hated clowns.  
  
One of the clowns moved and stepped away from the wall, his grin outshining the red one painted on his face. "Welcome," he said lightly, "to your eternal prison. I'm Ciom, and I'll be your guard until you die."  
  
"Right," said Yamato, "and how do you plan on keeping me here?"  
  
"Oh, that's quite simple," Ciom said in an almost eager manner, "if you actually manage to break through the walls, you'll fall straight into the Shadow Realm. The only way out is to defeat me in a duel, in which case you will be released. However, if you lose to me, you will be dropped from this room into the shadows, where your soul will rot for millennia to come."  
  
"Right," Yamato said, sarcasm threatening to take him over, "let's duel."  
  
"Well, I certainly hope you've never been to Las Vegas," Ciom commented, "that would have been oh so costly for you."  
  
. . . Another part of the Shadow Realm . . . –  
  
"I have been waiting for you," a voice said to Kirbin, "but then, I have been waiting a very long time for this moment to come."  
  
"Who are you?" Kirbin asked the darkness.  
  
A blue light appeared ten feet in front of him. Ten feet beyond the source of light stood a young man. He wore black pants and a black vest over a white shirt. His hair was a mass of black spikes with yellow streaks. His left eye was white, while his right eye was black. "I am Thunder," he answered, "and I have a message that you must deliver to a friend of yours."  
  
"Why not tell him yourself?"  
  
"Because he does not remember me, but he knows you very well, and he trusts you. He may not accept what I have for him."  
  
"Alright," Kirbin accepted, "so what do I have to do?"  
  
"Before you deliver what I have to give to him, you must defeat me in a duel."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
"We will each wager a fusion monster and its fusion material monsters."  
  
"I don't see the point of that, but I guess I don't really have any say." Kirbin closed his eyes. When they opened again, they glowed yellow, and his hair spiked up in an electric gold. "Thunder against Lightning, this should be interesting."  
  
- . . . The physical world . . . -  
  
Joey stood blocking the thief's only exit. He had the rat now! "Alright, hand it over," he demanded.  
  
The thief grinned and tossed the KS back to Joey, who caught it and put it on. "I aught to pound your skull, but I'll let you off for now 'cause I'm in a hurry."  
  
Joey turned to leave, and immediately felt something sting his right arm. He pulled the hollow dart from his arm and turned to the thief with his eyes blazing.  
  
"You never let me introduce myself," the thief said, "I am Assanto, a very skilled thief and assassin. That dart that just punctured your arm contained a very fast-acting poison, which should kill you within half an hour."  
  
"WHAT!?" Joey cried.  
  
Assanto smirked, "Yes, half an hour to live. You should be feeling the earlier symptoms now." He was right, Joey was already seeing spots in his vision and a pounding dizziness. "The only way for you to live is to defeat me in a duel, which I'm sure will prove impossible. I know you can't deny my challenge, so let's just get started," he activated his DD2.  
  
Joey activated his DD2 as well and concentrated on keeping focus. He could very well be living his last few minutes . . .  
  
- . . . The Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
Yugi looked around him at the bleak darkness. "Not again . . . ,"  
  
"Yes," said Yami Bakura, "again."  
  
The Millennium Puzzle flashed, and Yami took Yugi's place. "You again!" he exclaimed, "I thought you were gone for good!"  
  
"Oh, come now, Pharaoh," Yami Bakura said in a mocking tone, "I'm really quite surprised at you. To think you would believe that after all the times I've come back that I wouldn't do it again. I'm disappointed." He smirked, "You know, it's almost like a bratty child. No matter how many times they're scolded or punished, the punishment ends, and they are unrestricted again, free to do whatever they wish. After a while, the punishments are no longer very punishing, and have no effect whatsoever on the child, so he is free to do what he wants without even worrying about the punishment that may follow. I have gone into that phase now. So, let's get right down to it. A duel for the Millennium Puzzle, and the loser will be banished to the Shadow Realm." Yami Bakura's smirk grew, "Even if you do win, I'll be back before you know it, and we'll duel once more. Prepare to lose that Puzzle, Pharaoh, because someday it will be mine!"  
  
Next chapter: the three-part saga continues as all six duels begin! Read and review! 


	13. Seeds of War

Note to Chuck ZFB (if you happen to read this chapter): I used the cards that Thunder used in Master of the Cards for this duel. I hope you don't mind. I REALLY hope so.  
  
See that, everyone? Chuck's deck structure for Thunder, not mine, except for THREE CARDS, which can actually be related to cards that Thunder does use.  
  
Also, apologies to those of you with really slow servers, as this is an extremely long chapter. Speaking of long chapter, I spent over a month scripting these duels, and I've spent the past week gradually typing this chapter. There are more than nine THOUSAND words in it, more than twice as long as any chapter I have EVER written. What am I trying to say, well, let me put it this way: YOU ARE GOING TO READ THIS STORY AND YOU ARE GOING TO LIKE IT AND YOU WILL REVIEW OR ELSE I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN AND WHEN I FIND YOU, YOU WILL REGRET THE DAY YOU NEGLECTED TO JUST TYPE THREE SENTENCES COMMENTING ON MY STORY! Thank you, now, on to the chapter.  
  
New addition to the story: [Thinking]  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Thirteen-Seeds of War  
Also Entitled: Rivals New and Old  
  
Giyan stopped and turned. The elevator had not arrived in the five minutes since he had called for it. He had remained patient, however, as time did not currently matter to him. But now something else had his attention. "So," he muttered to himself, "it has at last begun . . . "  
  
- . . . Elsewhere . . . -  
  
The two shadowed men turned their heads. "What was that?" one asked the other.  
  
"The first assault has been made. The chess player has finished positioning his pieces, now he is sending out his first offensive maneuver. Let us see how the Pharaoh and his friends act to counter it."  
  
- . . . The Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
"WHAT DO YOU SAY TO MY GOING FIRST?" asked Exodus as he drew his opening hand.  
  
"Fine with me," responded Term coolly as he drew his own hand.  
  
Exodus: 4000 Term: 4000  
  
"I'LL START BY PLAYING THE SPELL CARD POT OF GREED, WHICH WILL LET ME DRAW TWO NEW CARDS," he placed the green card in one of the slots in his Duel Disk, then drew the extra cards, "AND TO FOLLOW THAT UP, I'LL SET TWO CARDS FACEDOWN AND SUMMON A MONSTER IN DEFENSE MODE BEFORE ENDING MY TURN." Three rectangular, brown-backed cards appeared in front of him.  
  
Term drew his sixth card. "NOW THAT IT'S YOUR TURN, I'LL ACTIVATE MY FACEDOWN JAR OF GREED," said Exodus before Term could do anything, "THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO DRAW AN EXTRA CARD."  
  
"Fine load of good that'll do you," Term said quietly, "especially now that I play Heavy Storm, destroying all Spell and Trap cards on the field!" An immense tornado appeared at the center of the field, destroying Exodus's facedown Mirror Force. "And now that you have no Traps to defend yourself with, I can simply summon Karate Man (1000/1000) and blow away your facedown monster!" A dark-skinned man with a black fro wearing a yellow martial arts uniform with a black belt appeared in a combat stance. The Karate Man leaped at the facedown monster and broke it with a mighty chop. The facedown Sangan (1000/600), a three-eyed brown ball of fur, was revealed momentarily before crying out in pain and shattering.  
  
"THANK YOU FOR DESTROYING MY SANGAN," said Exodus with a hint of sarcasm, "IT ALLOWS ME TO SELECT A MONSTER FROM MY DECK WITH 1500 OR LESS ATTACK AND ADD IT TO MY HAND."  
  
"I know its effect," growled Term as Exodus began to shuffle through his deck, "before ending my turn, I'll just set this card facedown." The card materialized behind his Karate Man.  
  
"VERY WELL," said Exodus as he drew his card for the turn, "I'LL SUMMON ANOTHER MONSTER TO THE FIELD IN DEFENSE MODE, AND SET A CARD FACEDOWN." Both cards appeared, "AND NOW I'LL END MY TURN."  
  
[This seems strange], thought Term as he drew a card, [before, he was boasting all about how he's some powerful monster, but so far he's just been playing defense. But this strategy seems kind of . . . familiar . . . ]. "I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight (1800/1000) to the field, in attack mode!" the mechanical soldier appeared, blades held at the ready. "Karate Man, attack his facedown monster!" The martial artist struck the card in the same motion as before, revealing a white owl wearing a golden crown that rested on its brow.  
  
"BEHOLD AN OWL OF LUCK (300/500)," explained Exodus, "WHEN HE IS FLIPPED, I CAN SEARCH MY DECK FOR ANY MAGIC CARD AND PLACE IT ON TOP OF MY DECK." He shuffled through his cards again, and selected the card. An Owl of Luck then disappeared.  
  
"My turn isn't over yet," said Term, "I attack directly with Gearfried the Iron Knight!" Gearfried charged Exodus with its blades raised. When the Iron Knight reached its enemy, he struck Exodus with one of its blades and sent Term into the lead.  
  
Exodus: 2200 Term: 4000  
  
"YOUR LEAD WILL NOT LAST LONG," Exodus stated, "AFTER I DRAW, I ACTIVATE MY SECOND JAR OF GREED, ALLOWING ME TO DRAW ONE EXTRA CARD." He slipped the two cards off of his deck, then grinned maliciously. "I PLACE ONE CARD FACEDOWN, AND SUMMON A MONSTER IN DEFENSE MODE BEFORE ENDING MY TURN."  
  
"Defense again, eh?" taunted Term, "Well, prepare to lose this duel, because your monsters won't stand long against my assault. I sacrifice Karate Man for the Curse of Dragon (2000/1500!" The Karate Man vanished, and in its place the skeleton of an evil-looking dragon appeared, dark energy emitting from its red eyes. "Curse of Dragon, attack his defense monster!" The dragon's energy became focused into a large purple ball of power, electric volts crackling about its circumference. The Curse of Dragon released the energy at the horizontal card, revealing the Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200), which was destroyed. As Exodus searched his deck for a monster, Term continued his assault, "Gearfried, attack directly!" The armored warrior charged forth and slashed at Exodus again, bringing Term very close to victory.  
  
Exodus: 400 Term: 4000  
  
"Come on!" exclaimed Term in anger, "What kind of game are you playing? Where's this supreme monster of yours? So far you've just been drawing and running away!"  
  
"ON THE CONTRARY," Exodus said with a smirk as he drew, "I'VE BEEN PREPARING TO RELEASE MY FULL POWER UPON YOU. MY ULTIMATE ATTACK SHALL NOW BE UNLEASHED! I ACTIVATE THE FACEDOWN IMPERIAL ORDER!" An aging man wearing royal attire appeared, his right hand cast on the field. "AS LONG AS THIS CARD REMAINS FACEUP ON THE FIELD, ALL SPELL CARDS WILL BE NEGATED AND DESTROYED SO LONG AS I PAY 700 LIFE POINTS ON EACH OF MY TURNS. HOWEVER, I DON'T INTEND ON KEEPING IT ACTIVE THAT LONG. NEXT, I SHALL PLAY THE MAGICAL LIBRARY(0/2000) IN ATTACK MODE!" Tall shelves of books appeared in front of him, with several people on floating platforms circling about it. "NOW, I SHALL EQUIP MY MAGICAL LIBRARY WITH THE BUTTERFLY DAGGER-ELMA!"  
  
"But you can't," pointed out Term, "your own trap negates all spell cards, so you just wasted that."  
  
"OH REALLY? I BEG TO DIFFER," stated Exodus with an even wider grin, "WHEN BUTTERFLY DAGGER-ELMA GOES TO THE GRAVEYARD, IT RETURNS TO MY HAND AUTOMATICALLY. NOW ONLY THAT, BUT WHEN A SPELL CARD IS PLAYED, MY MAGICAL LIBRARY RECEIVES A MAGIC COUNTER." A dot of light appeared on one of the shelves. "AND NOW, I CAN PLAY BUTTERFLY DAGGER-ELMA AGAIN."  
  
And so Exodus repeated the process twice over, Elma being played, destroyed, and returned to his hand while Magical Library gained two more counters. "NOW," said Exodus, as three glowing dots shown on his Magical Library, "I SHALL REMOVE ALL THREE COUNTERS FROM MY MAGICAL LIBRARY TO DRAW ONE CARD." All three dots vanished, and Exodus drew.  
  
Term's face showed puzzlement, but then realization, "Oh, no . . . " he muttered.  
  
Exodus grinned again, "HAVE YOU FIGURED OUT WHO I REALLY AM YET?" he queried.  
  
"Yes I have," replied Term, "Exodia . . . "  
  
. . . Elsewhere in the Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
Pentan grinned slightly as he drew, "I play the Spell card Scapegoat, to summon four defensive monsters," he declared as the tiny round goats appeared in front of him. "I also summon a monster in defense mode and end my turn."  
  
"Very well," said Lin as he drew, "then I'll just have to start cutting through your defenses with my favorite monster: Hayabusa Knight (1000/700). Attack his facedown monster and one of the Scapegoats!" The bird-headed warrior appeared, and quickly leapt into action, cutting through a pink scapegoat and the facedown monster. The monster was revealed to be a rotund black cat with a golden collar.  
  
"A Cat of Ill Omen (500/300)," explained Pentan as the cat yowled in pain and vanished, "it allows me to search my deck for a Trap card and place it on top of my deck." He did so, his grin growing wider. "Now I'll draw the card I placed on top of my deck, and place another monster facedown in defense and a card facedown." Both cards appeared, the latter below the three remaining Scapegoats.  
  
"Alright," said Lin, "my turn. And I summon Celtic Guardian to the field." The elven swordsman appeared next to the Hayabusa Knight, broadsword held at the ready. "Celtic Guardian, attack the facedown monster!" The elf charged forward and planted the edge of its blade in the card. The card flipped up to reveal a mischievous-looking blue lizard, which grinned wickedly and sent volts of electricity up the Celtic Guardian's blade, pressing him to his knees.  
  
"You attacked the Electric Lizard (850/800)," said Pentan with an ever- growing grin, "now your Celtic Guardian will be unable to attack on your next turn."  
  
"Well," said Lin with a bit of frustration, "that doesn't stop my Hayabusa Knight from destroying two more of your Scapegoats!" The bird warrior leapt forward again and swung its rapier at the orange and yellow Scapegoats, cutting them down instantly. "It seems you're running down on defenses."  
  
"Maybe," conceded Pentan, "but that won't matter now," he continued. "I have just drawn the card that will lead to your demise. Behold, as I play the Spell card Shield Wall, summoning four stone Shield tokens!" As he laid the card down, four statues bearing immense shields appeared in front of him, flanking the single remaining blue Scapegoat. "Now, I shall activate my facedown Trap, D. Tribe!" As his one facedown card flipped up, a blue burst of electricity emitted from all seven monsters on the field. "That changes all monsters on the field into Dragons for one turn. So now I have five dragons at my command, which happens to be exactly what I need to play this!" He turned one of the cards in his hand towards Lin for him to see.  
  
"Polymerization?" said Lin in confusion, "but none of your monsters are even fusion materials!"  
  
"Not with D. Tribe active," argued Pentan, "for with five dragons combined, the mightiest of all attackers can be summoned!" He slammed the Polymerization card into his Duel Disk, and the five monsters began to swirl together in a strange vortex as they merged into, "The Five God Dragon (5000/5000)!"  
  
- . . . Ciom's prison . . . -  
  
"Because you are the challenger," said Ciom with his ever-present grin, "it's only fair that I get the first move."  
  
"Then take it," Yamato replied.  
  
"Oh, don't be so nasty about it," Ciom said as he drew, "There's no reason for you to hurry, after all. I place two cards facedown, and play the Spell card Different Dimension Capsule." Two facedown cards appeared in front of him, as well as an Egyptian sarcophagus. "With this card, I am allowed to take one card from my deck and seal it within the Capsule. On my second turn after its activation, the Capsule will open, and the card I selected will go to my hand." The sarcophagus opened, and a holographic card flew inside before it closed again. "And, finally, I shall summon Griggle (350/300) in attack mode." A small orange ball with tired eyes, blue feet, and hair that resembled green and yellow leaves appeared in front of him.  
  
Yamato drew his card, but Ciom cut him off before he could do anything, "Because control just shifted to you, I gain 3000 Life Points from Griggle's effect."  
  
Ciom: 7000 Yamato: 4000  
  
"Then I'll set two cards facedown, and summon Zombyra the Dark (2100/500), in attack mode." A man in black armor decorated with bones appeared, his blood-red cape flowing behind him. But before Zombyra could attack, a hole appeared in the earth below him, sucking him down into the Underworld.  
  
Ciom laughed before explaining, "I activated Bottomless Trap Hole, which removed your Zombyra from the game. And now that it's my turn, I'll put the Life Points I gained to good use. First off, I'll pay 1000 of them to play the Spell card Delinquent Duo." Two hideous child-like creatures appeared before him, one red with a "1" on its forehead, the other blue with a "2". "First, the red Delinquent will force you to discard a card at random." The red one bounded over to Yamato, grabbed one of his cards, and threw it against the wall. "The blue Delinquent allows you to choose which card to discard."  
  
The second Delinquent bounded over to Yamato, and held out its arms while saying greedily, "Gimme, gimme." Yamato thought a few seconds, and then tossed the thing a card. After catching the card, the Delinquent threw it against the wall as well. Then both Delinquents leapt through the wall while cackling.  
  
"Ah, they're so cute," Ciom said with admiration, "they're my pride and joy." If Ciom could see Yamato's eyes, he would see them rolling. "Now on to the matter at hand, I play Swords of Revealing Light, which will prevent you from attacking for three turns. And, to wrap things up, I shift Griggle to defense mode." Twenty swords of pure light appeared around Yamato, creating a barrier between he and everything about him. Griggle flopped down into a sitting position.  
  
Ciom: 6000 Yamato: 4000  
  
"Your Swords won't even last one more turn," promised Yamato, "because now I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying them." A black monsoon appeared about Yamato, sweeping away the Swords of Revealing Light. "And now, I'll summon Vorse Raider (1900/1200), and destroy the Griggle." The yellow humanoid reptile appeared, glaive in hand, and ran at a very frightened Griggle. The Griggle got up, and ran away very quickly, while the Vorse Raider chased after it. The warrior chased its prey about the room for several minutes before finally running out of breath and kneeling down, panting. The Griggle, now running aimlessly, then collided with the Vorse Raider's back and falling to the ground. The Vorse Raider turned around, grabbed the plant, and crushed it.  
  
"Well, go ahead and celebrate your minor victory," Ciom said with a huff, "because now I can claim the card that I deposited into my Different Dimension Capsule." The sarcophagus opened, and the card within floated into Ciom's hand. "And I activate that card now, paying 1000 Life Points to play the all-powerful Spell card, Toon World!"  
  
Ciom: 5000 Yamato: 4000  
  
The green-backed book of Toon World appeared above Ciom, and it opened its pages to reveal the pop-up town within. "Now that I have Toon World on the field, I can summon my Toon Mermaid (1400/1500)." The Toon version of Red Archery Girl appeared, giving a wink to Ciom as it appeared. Ciom replied with a smile and a wave, then reverted his attention to the duel. "Now I'll activate the Trap card Ojama Trio, which will summon three Ojamas on your side of the field."  
  
Three blobs of monsters appeared in front of Yamato, and immediately began acting like blobs. "These things look completely useless," commented Yamato.  
  
"They are," agreed Ciom with a grin, "but only to you. Because whenever one of them is destroyed, you will lose 300 Life Points. So now I activate Raigeki, destroying all three Ojamas and your Vorse Raider!" A lightning bolt struck from the sky, obliterating the Ojama Trio and Yamato's Vorse Raider.  
  
Ciom: 5000 Yamato: 3100  
  
"And now," Ciom continued, "I pay 500 Life Points for Toon Mermaid to attack directly!"  
  
- . . . Floor 5 ½ . . . -  
  
"Alright," said Lightning impatiently, "let's get this show on the road."  
  
"Very well," said Thunder as he drew, "then I shall start things off by playing a monster in defense mode, and setting another card facedown."  
  
"My turn," said Lightning, "so I'll play two cards facedown, and then summon Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/800), in attack mode!" Two cards appeared in front of him, as well as a red-haired woman wearing a tiger suit and carrying two drumsticks.  
  
"That's a rather strange monster," commented Thunder.  
  
"It's not the way that looks that counts," responded Lightning, "it has an attack power of 1900, and I'm about to make it even more powerful. I equip Thunder Nyan Nyan with the Electro Whip, boosting her attack and defense by 300!" The Thunder Nyan Nyan shifted both drumsticks to her left hand, and a whip that crackled with electricity appeared in her right, raising her power to 2200/1100. "Thunder Nyan Nyan, attack his facedown monster!"  
  
Thunder Nyan Nyan raised her whip, then brought it down on the horizontal card resting in front of Thunder. Before the whip could make contact, however, three women in blue robes appeared in front of the target, blocking the blow. "I activated my facedown Waboku," explained Thunder, "which, in essence, blocked your attack."  
  
"Very well," said Lightning, "your turn."  
  
Thunder drew, then studied his hand for a moment, and said, "I play Card Destruction, making us both discard our hands and draw new ones." He discarded his hand of four cards, while Thunder discarded two.  
  
"Big mistake on your part," Lightning said with a grin, "you forced me to discard Electric Snake, whose effect now allows me to draw two more cards."  
  
But Thunder grinned as well, "Good, that will just cause you more damage as I flip my Des Koala (1100/1800), which deals 400 points of damage directly to you for every card in your hand." His facedown monster was revealed as a brown koala eating leaves. The koala was surrounded by a blue aura, which it directed at Lightning as it was revealed. The aura swept by and through Lightning as if it were a wind, causing Lightning to lose Life Points.  
  
Thunder: 4000 Lightning: 2400  
  
"Now I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon," continued Thunder, "which will destroy your Thunder Nyan Nyan's Electro Whip." The black monsoon appeared about Thunder Nyan Nyan, and her weapon was destroyed. "And now that she's been disarmed, I'll destroy her. I sacrifice Des Koala for Curse of Dragon (2000/1500)." The same monster that Term had used now appeared in front of Thunder in Des Koala's place. "Curse of Dragon, destroy the Thunder Nyan Nyan!" The yellow skeletal dragon gathered its energy for an attack, dark energy swirling into a sphere just in front of its snout. With an inhuman screech, it released the energy at Thunder Nyan Nyan, which cried out and was destroyed.  
  
Thunder: 4000 Lightning: 2300  
  
- . . . One of the many abandoned hallways . . . -  
  
"Because you don't seem too fit right now," Assanto taunted the weakening Joey, "I'll take the first move to get things moving. So I'll just set a monster in defense mode, and set a card facedown."  
  
Joey's vision was still blurred, and he could only just make out the shapes of the two cards Assanto had placed on the field. [Gotta get to his Life Points as fast as I can], he thought, [or I'll be dead before this duel's even over.] "I summon Alligator Sword (1500/1200), in attack mode!" the humanoid alligator appeared in front of him, sword held at the ready. "Alligator Sword, destroy his monster!"  
  
The Alligator Sword leapt forward, sword raised high, and struck the monster, which was revealed to be an enormous spiked ball before the sword punctured its bulbous shape and it exploded. Assanto grinned as he explained, "Your Alligator Sword destroyed my Giant Germ (1000/100), which deals 500 direct damage to your Life Points and lets me Special Summon two more Giant Germs to the field in attack mode!" Two more of the bulbous spheres appeared in front of him.  
  
Assanto: 4000 Joey: 3500  
  
[Man], thought Joey nervously, [this is the exact thing I don't need right now, and he knows it! I've gotta get rid of those things as soon as possible or I'm done for!]  
  
"It would seem that you're done with your turn," Assanto observed, "so I'll go now. But before I draw, I'll activate my facedown Solemn Wishes, which will give me 500 Life Points every time I draw a card. So now I draw, and gain 500 Life Points."  
  
Assanto: 4500 Joey: 3500  
  
"I'll continue by switching both my Giant Germs to defense, setting a card facedown, and summoning the Fire Princess (1400/1500)," finished Assanto. A brunette girl appeared next to the two Giant Germs. She carried a staff that emitted a low flame.  
  
Joey drew his card, just as he began to feel a slight pain in his arm where the dart had hit. "I summon Baby Dragon (1200/800)," a man-sized orange dragon appeared next to the Alligator Sword, flexing its muscular arms and letting out a squeak that caused flame to burst from its mouth, "and now Alligator Sword will destroy your Fire Princess!"  
  
"Not so fast!" interrupted Assanto, "I activate my facedown Gravity Bind, which will allow only level three or lower monsters to attack." A strange green webbing spread across the field, trapping the legs of both the Alligator Sword and Fire Princess.  
  
[That's the card Lector used against me an' Yugi!], Joey recalled, [man, I sure could use Yugi's help right about now], "Well, that won't stop my Baby Dragon from destroying your Giant Germ!" The orange dragon flew into the air, then came down on the Giant Germ, causing it to burst and lower Joey's Life Points further.  
  
Assanto: 4500 Joey: 3000  
  
- . . . The Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
Yami Bakura and Yami eyed each other with opposite expressions. Yami Bakura's was confident, wicked, and definitely happy. The pharaoh's was determined and worried. Yami Bakura's smirk never faltered as he spoke. "I'll start this duel off with two cards facedown and a monster in defense." The three cards appeared before him, their brown backs hiding their meaning. "That's all for now."  
  
"Then it's my move," said Yami as he drew, "and I shall set two cards facedown and summon Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1600)," two cards appeared in front of him, and the second of the magnet warriors appeared, its yellow body hovering in the air with magnet-claws held at the ready. "Beta, attack his facedown monster!" Electricity surged at the tips of Beta's claws, and the magnet warrior clapped them together with a resounding metallic noise. The electrical volts surged forward and struck the facedown monster, which was revealed to be an upturned red and white jar. As the jar was revealed, a single green eye and a set of yellow teeth appeared in the black mass within. The black face then shot out of the jar and through Yami before disappearing.  
  
"My Morphing Jar (700/600)," explained Yami Bakura, "has just forced us both to discard our hands and draw new ones of five cards." Both duelists inserted their hands into the graveyard slots and drew new cards.  
  
"I can't do anything else this turn," said Yami, "it's your move."  
  
Yami Bakura's grin widened slightly as he examined the card he had drawn. "Prepare to meet your demise, Pharaoh," he said threateningly, "for now I activate my facedown Change of Heart, allowing me to take control of your Beta for one turn." A half-demon, half-angel being appeared on Yami Bakura's side of the field. It flapped its one leathery, bat-like wing and its one feathered wing and took flight. It floated over to Beta and then merged with the magnet warrior, causing Beta to join Yami Bakura's side of the field. "Now I'll sacrifice your pathetic magnet warrior for my Earl of Demise (2000/700)!"  
  
The magnet warrior disappeared, and in its place a rotting corpse appeared, wearing a fine red tuxedo that had long ago been ruined and was now torn in shreds. It carried a long rapier. "Now, Earl of Demise," Yami Bakura commanded the corpse, "attack the pharaoh directly!" The corpse flew at Yugi like a puppet, and raised its weapon high as it prepared to strike.  
  
. . . The domain of Exodia . . . -  
  
"Your pathetic loop combo won't win you this duel!" cried Term as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "I activate my facedown Dust Tornado, which will destroy your Imperial Order, thus stopping your combo!" as his facedown card flipped up, a tornado filled with debris appeared and tore apart the Imperial Order card. "It also allows me to set a card facedown, so I choose this one," Term continued as he set a card on his Duel Disk.  
  
"IT'S STILL MY TURN," reminded Exodia, "SO I EQUIP MAGICAL LIBRARY WITH BUTTERFLY DAGGER-ELMA AGAIN SO THAT IT RECEIVES ANOTHER COUNTER. I ALSO PLAY THE SWORDS OF REVEALING LIGHT, KEEPING YOU FROM ATTACKING FOR THREE TURNS. AND THAT ALSO GIVES MAGICAL LIBRARY A COUNTER. YOUR MOVE." Twenty swords formed a barrier around Term, locking his Curse of Dragon and Gearfried in place.  
  
Term drew his card and grinned in triumph, "Time for you to lose your only weapon, Exodia," he said as he slipped the card into his Duel Disk, "as I play 1000 Life Points to play Confiscation, allowing me to look at your hand and choose one card for you to discard." Exodia held up his one card, Left Arm of the Forbidden One, and then discarded it. "I now end my turn, since I can't attack with the Swords of Revealing Light in play."  
  
"THEN I SHALL PREPARE YOUR DEMISE," Exodia said with a grin as he drew. Term rolled his eyes. Exodia had lost his only chance of winning and he was dealing threats, how pathetic. "I SHALL NOW SACRIFICE THE THREE MAGIC COUNTERS ON MAGICAL LIBRARY TO DRAW A CARD," Exodia continued, as the three points of light that had appeared on the shelves of his Library disappeared and he drew said card. As he looked at the card, he grinned at Term. He then selected the first card he had drawn and placed it on the field. "PAINFUL CHOICE ALLOWS ME TO SELECT FIVE CARDS FROM MY DECK," he explained, "AND THEN YOU MUST SELECT ONE OF THEM TO GO TO MY HAND WHILE THE REST GO TO THE GRAVEYARD."  
  
Term looked at the five cards that Exodia selected (Right Leg of the Forbidden One, Witch of the Black Forest, Right Arm of the Forbidden One, Left Leg of the Forbidden One, and Exodia the Forbidden One), confused. He had no idea why Exodia was willing to completely destroy his only weapon. After all, a simple Backup Soldier would have let him regain the arm. But Term wasn't complaining about that, so he selected Witch of the Black Forest and Exodia discarded his remaining four pieces. "NOW I'LL JUST SET THIS MONSTER AND END MY TURN," finished Exodia.  
  
Term drew and grinned at his card, then placed it on the field, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Swords," he said as the black monsoon that Yamato had used now served the same purpose as before in destroying the Swords of Revealing Light. "Now to destroy your new defense monster," he said, "Curse of Dragon, attack!" The dragon gathered energy as it had before, then released it at the new horizontal card that Exodia had placed, revealing another Witch of the Black Forest, which cried out and vanished as it was struck by the blast. Exodia grinned as he searched his deck for a monster. [I can't believe this,] Term thought in frustration at his own confusion, [he's happy that he gets to put a monster out, but he's going to end up losing this duel without Exodia. What monster does he even want? There's nothing that can help him.]  
  
"I ASSUME THAT YOUR TURN IS OVER," stated Exodia, "SO I'LL JUST GO AHEAD AND PLAY THE COMBINATION OF CARDS THAT WILL SPELL YOUR DEMISE. NOW I PLAY THE SPELL CARD CONTRACT WITH EXODIA, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO SUMMON THE ULTIMATE MONSTER!" The air above the field became immersed in black thunderclouds and five gravestones rose from the ground in front of Exodia, an ankh imprinted on each stone. A lightning bolt struck from the sky and split to contact all five gravestones, and all five parts of Exodia that he had discarded rose from the ground. Term's face showed fear as he watched the arms, legs, and head become connected by a torso that appeared between them. The body glowed a bright green.  
  
Exodia began to laugh. Then he went silent and his host's eyes went dark as a red light shown from the body to the glowing monster in front of him. Then the first body fell to the ground and the red line stopped shining. Then the glowing monster laughed in Exodia's voice. "AH HAH HAHA! BEHOLD THE MY MIGHT IN THE FORM OF EXODIA NECROSS (1800/0)!"  
  
"Exodia Necross?" Term asked in shock and confusion.  
  
"THAT'S RIGHT," said Exodia, "I WAS ABLE TO SUMMON MY UNDEAD FORM TO THE FIELD, AND BECAUSE I AM IN ESSENCE IT, I WAS ABLE TO LEAVE THAT DISGUSTING HUMAN BODY AND TRANSMIT INTO THIS ONE. I SHALL NOW FIGHT YOU AS I ONCE FOUGHT THE GODS AFTER I ESCAPED FROM THE FIRST PRISON THEY BANISHED ME TO. YOU SEE, THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE THREE GODS KNOWN AS SLIFER, OBELISK, AND RA RULED THE WORLD, WATCHING IT FROM ABOVE. BUT I WISHED TO CONTROL THE WORLD MYSELF, AND SO I FOUGHT THEM IN THE FORM THAT IS SUMMONED WITH THE FIVE CARDS YOU KNOW SO WELL." Exodia paused and widened the ever-present grin of his body's face, "BUT THIS IS WHERE THE STORY BEHIND THOSE CARDS COMES IN. YOU SEE, THE GODS REALIZED THAT I COULD NOT BE DESTROYED COMPLETELY, SO THEY TRIED TO SPLIT MY BODY SO THAT I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO EVER OPPOSE THEM. THEY COMBINED THEIR POWERS AND BROKE MY LIMBS AND HEAD FROM EACH OTHER, AND COMPLETELY OBLITERATED MY TORSO. THE ONLY WAY THAT I COULD EVER BE SUMMONED WAS IF THE FIVE PARTS WERE SET TOGETHER. IT WAS EASY TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING, THEY SIMPLY SPREAD THE PIECES. BUT THEY DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD FOLLOWERS, FOLLOWERS THAT COULD SUMMON ME WITHOUT EVEN GATHERING THE PIECES. THEY PERFORMED AN ANCIENT SPELL, WHICH IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT MY PARTS TOGETHER IN THE FORM YOU SEE BEFORE YOU. IT WAS AN ALMOST INDESTRUCABLE FORM, ALTHOUGH MUCH LESS POWERFUL THAN MY LAST. I FOUGHT THE GODS AGAIN, BUT WAS DEFEATED AFTER YEARS OF CONTINUOUS COMBAT. AFTER MY PARTS WERE SPREAD AGAIN, THEY SOUGHT OUT EACH AND EVERY ONE OF MY FOLLOWERS, AND THEY WERE ALL SLAUGHTERED. THEY ALSO SEALED MY ESSENCE WITHIN THE SHADOW REALM, SO THAT I WOULD BE UNABLE TO INFLUENCE ANY OTHER HUMANS TO RELEASE ME. AND SO I WAITED FOR AN OPPORTUNITY, ANY OPPORTUNITY, BUT I WAITED IN VAIN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS. IT WAS THEN THAT MY CURRENT MASTER CAME TO ME WITH THE PROPOSITION THAT I HAVE EXPLAINED TO YOU. ONCE I HAVE DEFEATED YOU, I WILL BE RELEASED, AND I WILL FINALLY RECLAIM MY ORIGINAL FORM AND RULE THIS WORLD!"  
  
"Talk is cheap," said Term, "both my monsters are at least as strong as you, you don't stand a chance."  
  
Exodia's red eyes gleamed, "THAT'S WHAT YOU THINK, JUST WATCH." He ran at Gearfried, raised his fist, and landed a crushing blow on the armored knight, shattering its chest plate and causing it to vanish.  
  
Term's mouth dropped in shock, "But you should have been destroyed as well!" he protested.  
  
Exodia laughed, "FOOL! DO YOU REALLY THINK YOUR PATHETIC MONSTERS CAN EVEN SCRATCH ME!? I AM EXODIA, AND I AM INDESTRUCTIBLE!"  
  
"We'll see about that!" Term challenged, "Curse of Dragon, attack!" His dragon gathered its energy, and released a burst of power at the Exodia Necross. Exodia was pushed back a bit, but he instantly recovered and planted his feet securely.  
  
Exodia: 200 Term: 3000  
  
"NOW ARE YOU CONVINCED?" Exodia asked Term, "YOUR DRAGON WAS EVEN STRONGER THAN ME AND STILL I WAS NOT DESTROYED. AND NONE OF YOUR TRAPS AND SPELL CARDS WILL HARM ME EITHER! SO NOW I'LL DESTROY YOUR DRAGON AS WELL!" His eyes glowed green for a moment, and then his hands began glowing green and he charged at Curse of Dragon and cracked its nose horn as he swung at it. The dragon then vanished.  
  
Exodia: 200 Term: 2700  
  
"How did you do that?" asked Term, beginning to feel a bit of panic.  
  
"NOT THAT THE FACT MATTERS," said Exodia, "BUT IN NECROSS FORM, I WILL GAIN 500 ADDITIONAL ATTACK POINTS AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH OF MY TURNS."  
  
Term growled, then placed his hand on the top card of his deck [This is it,] he thought, [my last chance. He's indestructible, but there's got to be some way that I can finish this duel on the winning side.] "Let's end this, Exodia!"  
  
"YES," agreed Exodia, "LET'S FINISH AS SOON AS POSSIBLE."  
  
. . . The room of the five dragons . . . –  
  
"Impressive, isn't it?" Pentan asked Lin as he looked up at the Five God Dragon, "unfortunately I can't attack with it right now, so I'll just end my turn here."  
  
Lin drew, then frowned as he declared, "I'll just switch both of my monsters to defense mode, and summon this monster facedown as well." The Celtic Guardian and Hayabusa Knight both crouched down into defensive positions, and a horizontal card appeared to the right of the elf.  
  
"You're so pathetic, running away like that," shot Pentan as he drew a card and smirked, "now I'll discard a card from my hand to play Tribute to the Doomed, destroying your Hayabusa Knight!" Bandages sprung from the ground, enveloping Hayabusa Knight like a mummy. The bird warrior was then dragged into the ground as it gave out a long, muffled screech. "And now," continued Pentan, "I'll have Five God Dragon attack and destroy your Celtic Guardian!" The mighty five-headed dragon reared back its long-necked extremities, each mouth opened to gather power. Then, simultaneously, all five of the gathered waves of energy were released, forming a sort of rainbow as they streaked towards the elf swordsman and completely obliterated it.  
  
Lin began to sweat as he drew his card. He had thought that the dragon was a myth! It was so incredibly powerful that Pegasus had refused to make all but a very few copies of the card, it was almost as rare as the Blue Eyes White Dragon! Besides the Dragon's immense attack and defense, it was immune to attacks from all monsters besides Light types and the Gods themselves. He slid a card into his Duel Disk, then pressed another one onto it, "I set a card facedown, and summon one monster in defense mode. That's all."  
  
Pentan smirked as he drew his card and immediately played it, "I play the Spell card Stop Defense, forcing your first facedown monster into attack mode." The card Lin had placed was revealed to be the Karate Man (1000/1000), who moved his arms from the guarding position they had been in into a more offensive stance. Pentan howled with laughter, "This is perfect! Now I'll destroy your weakling of a monster with Five God Dragon and take all of your Life Points with it!" The Five God Dragon reared back its heads, which gathered power once again.  
  
"Karate Man!" cried Lin, "Use your Forbidden Technique!" The Karate Man proceeded to act like a DBZ character, yelling loudly and gathering power as a burning red aura surrounded him. He then leapt upward with his fist raised to fight the dragon as it launched its blast.  
  
Pentan looked worried for a moment as the blast resounded about the room, but his grin settled back in as the dust cleared to reveal that the Karate Man had been destroyed. "Looks like your Karate Man's technique did absolutely nothing," taunted Pentan, "and now its time for you to give up your so-what?" He noticed the Life Points counter on Lin's Duel Disk.  
  
Pentan: 4000 Lin: 1000  
  
"How are you still alive!?" demanded Pentan, "You should have lost!"  
  
"My Karate Man's Forbidden Technique," began Lin, "may not have been enough to destroy your Five God Dragon, but it didn't need to. It simply had to decrease the damage to my Life Points. By sacrificing himself at the end of a turn, Karate Man doubles his attack power during battle when he uses his Forbidden Technique. So, instead of taking 4000 damage, I simply took 3000."  
  
Pentan growled, but then grinned as he reminded Lin, "Enjoy your minor victory for now, but you mustn't forget that by Five God Dragon is still on the field, and now you only 1000 Life Points left. It won't take me long to defeat you."  
  
"We'll see about that," challenged Lin, as he drew for what might have been the last time . . .  
  
. . . Ciom's prison . . . -  
  
"I activate Enchanted Javelin," countered Yamato as he flipped one of his three cards on the field, revealing a long, white javelin with a large yellow ring between the blade and handle. The javelin flew through the air of its own accord and struck the Toon Mermaid, which simultaneously shot an arrow at Yamato. His Life Points did not change as the arrow struck him.  
  
Ciom: 4500 Yamato: 3100  
  
"With Enchanted Javelin, I gained Life Points equal to your Mermaid's attack before the blow hit," Yamato explained.  
  
Ciom huffed and retorted, "Well, I'll still beat you within a few turns, it's not like you can block my Toons."  
  
"I don't know how in the world you got that card," said Yamato as he drew, peering through his sunglasses at Toon World, "but it will do you no good in the end. I set one card." A facedown card appeared, replacing the Enchanted Javelin, before the card to its right flipped up, "I also activate my facedown Call of the Haunted, reviving my Vorse Raider," the reptilian warrior reappeared, and let out a battle roar as it hefted it blade. "Vorse Raider, destroy his Toon Mermaid!" The warrior leapt forward and swung its blade on the horrified Mermaid, cleaving her in half before she vanished.  
  
Ciom: 4000 Yamato:  
  
Ciom looked shocked, "How dare you!" he cried, "you killed my Toon! I will have my revenge, you fiend!"  
  
"You, sir," said Yamato very flatly, "are pathetic."  
  
"I'll show you!" Ciom drew, then immediately played a card, "Graceful Charity, so I can draw three more cards and then discard two." He slipped the cards off of his deck in one motion, then grinned madly as he put two of them into his graveyard, "now I'll play Monster Reborn, reviving my Blue Eyes Toon Dragon (3000/2500)!" He cackled insanely as the chubby dragon appeared, growling like a kitten and showing off overly sharp teeth. "Now, Blue Eyes Toon Dragon," said Ciom, "avenge the fallen Toon Mermaid by attacking him directly!" The chubby dragon bounced around the room, ricocheting off the ceiling, walls, and floor like a super-ball and landing on top of the Vorse Raider, keeping him from blocking as it powered up its infamous White Lightning Attack . . .  
  
. . . Floor 5 ½ . . . -  
  
"My move," said Lightning as he drew, then grinned, "I first discard my Thunder Dragon, which allows me to place two more Thunder Dragons into my hand." He slipped the card into his graveyard, then searched his deck for two more of them. When he found them, he immediately pressed a button o his Duel Disk and discarded them as well, "And now I activate my facedown Polymerization, fusing my dragons into the Fusion monster that I wager on this Duel, the mighty Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon (2800/2100)!" A long, red, serpentine dragon appeared, a horn growing from its oblong snout and a second mouth obtruding from its neck. "Now," continued Lightning, "I play two magic cards, Monster Reborn, to revive my Thunder Nyan Nyan, and Raigeki, to destroy your Curse of Dragon." Thunder Nyan Nyan reappeared in front of Lightning, and a lightning bolt struck from the sky, destroying the dragon as Thunder looked on.  
  
"Now," continued Lightning as he discarded a card from his hand, "I discard a card so that my second facedown card, Twin Swords of Flashing Light- Tryce, can be activated." The drumsticks in Thunder Nyan Nyan's hands disappeared, and were replaced by two long, thin swords. "At the cost of 500 less attack points," explained Lightning, "my Thunder Nyan Nyan can now attack twice. Now, Nyan Nyan, strike him directly!" The redheaded woman dashed forward, swords held at her waist. When she reached Thunder, she struck him with one blade, then hit him again as she turned with the other.  
  
Thunder: 1200 Lightning: 2400  
  
Thunder drew, and smiled briefly at the card before placing it on his Duel Disk, "I just summon a monster in defense he said."  
  
As Lightning drew, Thunder cut him off, "Before you can do anything, I activate my facedown Thunder of Ruler, which causes you to skip your Battle Phase this turn."  
  
Lightning growled quietly, but then nodded, "I'll just play my own monster in defense mode, then end my turn." His one monster appeared on the field to the right of the Thunder Nyan Nyan.  
  
Thunder drew, then simply placed the card in his Duel Disk, "I set a card facedown and end my turn," he said.  
  
Lightning began to get impatient, but smiled as he placed the card he drew on the field, "I sacrifice my facedown monster for Guardian Tryce (1900/1700)." A black-haired man replaced his horizontal card, wielding the same twin swords that Thunder Nyan Nyan did. "Guardian Tryce, attack his monster!" The Guardian rushed at the monster, then raised both his blades and brought them down. The monster that was revealed had white hair, as well as eyes that glowed white and a sword whose blade appeared to be made of light. Its white robes flowed in the wind that did not exist, and the warrior used its blade to fight off the twin attacks of Tryce.  
  
Thunder: 1200 Lightning: 1800  
  
"You attacked my Lord of Light (500/2500)," stated Thunder, "its incredible defense power allowed it to fend off your attack. Unfortunately, he must switch to attack mode when he is attacked."  
  
"I've never heard of that card," said Lightning.  
  
"That's because it's one-of-a-kind," replied Thunder as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "and now I'll protect him by activating Shadow of Eyes, which will end your Battle Phase because all of your monsters become switched to defense mode." All four monsters on the field took up defensive positions, the humanoid ones crouching down with their weapons raised, while the Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon did not seem to change. Lightning frowned and he signaled to Thunder to take his turn.  
  
Thunder smiled at the card he drew, "I now play the Duke of Darkness (2500/500), the Lord of Light's opposite." A malicious-looking man in black robes with jet-black hair, eyes that looked like empty black voids, and a sword with a blade that seemed to be pure shadow appeared.  
  
[Another card I've never heard of before,] thought Lightning, [this could end up being very bad.]  
  
"Now," said Thunder with a small grin, "I shall claim victory. I play Polymerization, fusing the Lord of Light and Duke of Darkness together!" The Lord of Light disappeared and was replaced by a large sphere of white energy. The same happened to the Duke of Darkness, although the sphere was of black energy instead. The spheres swirled around each other and formed a Yin Yang symbol, which then manifested into a human form. Its left eye and the hair on the left side of his head were white, while the right ones were black. The swords that the Lord and Duke had wielded were now bonded together by a Yin Yang symbol. The new monster, its entire body (save the head) covered by black and white armor decorated with Yin Yang symbols, held the sword evenly in its hands. "Meet the Warrior of Balance (2500/2500)," introduced Thunder, "his powers rivals those of the gods themselves, although I do not know what they are. He has allowed me to use him in this duel so that he may be delivered to his rightful owner."  
  
"He doesn't look like he could fight the gods," commented Lightning doubtfully, "my Thunder Dragon is stronger than him."  
  
"That's what you think," replied Thunder, "but now he shall show his true power. First off, I must remove my entire hand, and I cannot draw any cards so long as he is on the field." He placed the cards in his hand into his pocket. "Now to introduce you to his abilities, first of all, he cannot be affected by any Spell or Trap cards. Secondly," here Thunder's grin widened slightly, "he gains 500 attack and defense points for every Light or Dark monster on the field and in both graveyards, including himself."  
  
Lightning watched in horror as the Warrior of Balance's power skyrocketed to 8500/8500. "Warrior of Balance," Thunder said to the monster as if he were addressing a superior, "your power is unhindered by the rules that restrict other Fusion monsters, you may attack whenever you wish." He bowed his head, "I bid you do as you please." The Warrior of Balance nodded at Thunder then flew at the Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon and used the dark blade of his sword to behead it . . .  
  
. . . Joey's possible future place of death . . . -  
  
"It seems to me, Joey Wheeler," said Assanto casually as he drew, "that you appear to be losing more and more strength as you lose Life Points. So, if my theory is correct," he grinned as his Life Points rose and Joey's fell, "you should be feeling even worse right now."  
  
Assanto: 5000 Joey: 2500  
  
Assanto seemed to be right, the pain in Joey's arm began to grow and spread, and his breathing became more laborious. "I'll just place these two cards facedown and end my turn."  
  
Joey drew and winced as he put his arm through the motion. "He then looked at the card and had a bit of trouble making it out, but grinned as he selected another card and played it, "I summon Panther Warrior (2000/1500)," he said slowly, but still with a bit of enthusiasm, "and then play Giant Trunade!"  
  
Assanto's finger darted to a button on his Duel Disk, and one of his cards flipped up, "Magic Jammer," he said simply as he discarded a card. Joey grimaced and put his Spell card into his graveyard, then ordered Baby Dragon to attack the last Giant Germ.  
  
Assanto: 5000 Joey: 2000  
  
"Your pathetic attempts to breach my defenses insult me, Mr. Wheeler," Assanto said with a grin as he simply played the card he had drawn, "I have a counter for every move that you can possibly make, and every turn, you run out of more and more time before you can make any more attempts."  
  
Assanto: 5500 Joey: 1500  
  
As Joey drew, Assanto cut him off by flipping the most recent card he had played, "Behold the Gift of the Mystical Elf," he said as the Mystical Elf appeared with a shining white orb in her hands, which flashed momentarily before she disappeared, "it gives me 300 Life Points for every monster on the field. You may continue now."  
  
Assanto: 6700 Joey: 1000  
  
Joey simply smiled as he played the card he had just drawn, "Demotion," he declared in a very quiet and raspy voice as he barely placed the card on the field. As the card was played, the Dark Ruler Ha Des appeared in front of his Panther Warrior and pointed a finger at its forehead, causing it to momentarily cry out and clutch its head. "That'll decrease his level by one . . . enough to get past your Gravity Bind."  
  
Joey sacrificed Alligator Sword for Panther Warrior to attack, but Assanto activated another one of his cards as the beast leapt into the air, "I activate Negate Attack." A barrier formed around he and his monsters, and Panther Warrior was repelled from the barrier as he reached it, causing him to land in a sprawling heap. Joey groaned and fell onto one of his knees as he watched what could have been his last assault fail. Assanto's face was one huge grin as he drew, then played his card, "Now, to end that final threat, I play De-Spell, destroying Demotion, which will put Panther Warrior back at Level 4 and prevent him from attacking."  
  
Assanto: 7200 Joey: 500  
  
Joey's vision darkened and his hearing faded to the extent that he could almost not hear Assanto's wild laughter. He supported himself on his knees and left arm as his right fell limp. His heart was beating wildly, he felt a deep pain within his stomach, and his thoughts began to mush together in a highway off thoughts with no concentration to direct them. His consciousness began to fade, and his final vague thought before drifting into complete unconsciousness was if he would ever wake from it . . .  
  
. . . The Shadow Game of the Thief and the Pharaoh . . . –  
  
"I activate Mirror Force!" Yami's facedown card flipped up just as the Earl of Demise was about to strike him. A red wave of energy flew from the card and struck the Earl of Demise, destroying it before it could harm Yami.  
  
Yami Bakura growled as he watched his offense fall. Now he was left with no monsters and only one facedown card that wouldn't protect him. "Now it's my turn," stated Yami as he drew his card. He then selected another card and played it, "I summon Retrained Celtic Guardian (1400/1200), in attack mode!" The effect version of the Celtic Guardian appeared, broadsword at the ready. "Now I equip my Retrained Celtic Guardian with Horn of the Unicorn," continued Yami as a . . . unicorn's horn appeared on the elf's head. "Now, attack him directly!" The Retrained Celtic Guardian (2100/1900) raised its blade and charged at Bakura, then struck him with a pierce from the sword.  
  
Yami Bakura: 1900 Yami: 4000  
  
"It looks like your threats aren't doing you any good," commented Yami as he watched with a great deal of satisfaction at the thief's loss in Life Points, "and your challenge to me is looking more and more foolish as this Duel progresses."  
  
"Oh really?" shot back Yami Bakura, "Well, you'll be the on looking foolish once I'm through with you!" He glanced at the card he had drawn with a grin before placing it facedown on the field. He then signaled that his turn was over.  
  
Yami drew his card before placing another card on the field, "I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1600/1800), in attack mode!" The third of the Magnet Warriors appeared, its arms and legs small compared to its body. Pink metallic wings were attached to its back, and its head was pink as well. Its gray cylindrical body had a blue S on its front. "Now I'll have Gamma attack your monster!"  
  
"Before your monster can deal the blow," interrupted Yami Bakura, "I activate Just Desserts, which will deal you 500 direct damage for every monster on your side of the field." A ghastly hand emerged from the flipped card, and grabbed Yami, sucking his Life Points away.  
  
Yami Bakura: 1900 Yami: 3000  
  
The metallic warrior then struck Yami Bakura's horizontal card, revealing a brown, man-sized insect with a wide mouth instead of mandibles. Yami Bakura laughed as the bug stood up and licked its carapace that formed where a human's lips would be. "Behold my Man Eater Bug (450/600)," he said, "which will now feast upon your Retrained Celtic Guardian!" The Man Eater Bug leapt on top of the elf, and Yami watched in horror as his monster was devoured alive. The Bug then looked up at him, licked a bit of blood off of its "lips" and vanished. "Also, since I'm about to achieve my destiny, it's fitting that I win this duel with the Destiny Board!" A spirit appeared carrying the letter F appeared, and Yami grimaced as the thief then placed Spirit Message "I" on the field.  
  
Yami Bakura grinned as he drew his card and placed a monster in defense before he ended his own turn.  
  
"I play my Horn of the Unicorn again," said Yami as the horn grew from Gamma's forehead, "because it was sent to the top of my deck when it was destroyed. And now Gamma the Magnet Warrior (2300/2500) will crush your defense!" Gamma shot electricity from its horn at the facedown card, revealing an empty suit of silver armor, which the electricity struck and destroyed.  
  
"Thank you for destroying my Headless Knight (1450/1700)," said Yami Bakura mockingly as he drew a card once Yami had ended his turn and had placed Spirit Message "N" on the field, "because I needed one more Fiend in my graveyard besides Earl of Demise and the card I discarded to Morphing Jar to summon this," he took all three monsters from his graveyard and put them into his pocket, then placed another monster on the field, "Dark Necrofear (2200/2800)!" The blue, feminine robot-fiend appeared, its yellow eyes glowing evilly. Yami took a step back as he saw the beast that had nearly defeated him at Battle City called against him once again.  
  
"Dark Necrofear, attack Gamma the Magnet Warrior!" a more conscience monster might have said something like "What? Why don't YOU attack it?" but the Necrofear thought nothing of sacrificing itself, and leapt at Gamma with its clawed fingers flexed. Gamma, in return, shot electricity at the cybernetic demon, destroying it.  
  
Yami Bakura: 1800 Yami: 3000  
  
Yami Bakura simply grinned more as he watched his Life Points drop a small margin, as the price for destroying Dark Necrofear was about to be paid, "Now your Gamma is mine to command!" laughed the thief as Gamma's eyes glowed a dark purple and it turned on Yami. "Gamma, attack your former master directly!" A bolt of electricity lanced out of the Magnet Warrior's horn and Yami threw up his arms to shield himself from the blast.  
  
Yami Bakura: 1800 Yami: 700  
  
Yami looked at Yami Bakura's grinning face. The thief held all the cards (pun intended) now, it seemed he was unbeatable. He had to find away to get past his own monster without attacking it AND to defeat the spirit of the Millennium Ring before the final two letters of the message of the Destiny Board were played. Things looked grim.  
  
"You look so pathetic," insulted Yami Bakura, "your hand is trembling from fear, and your sweating up a storm." Then his expression changed "Come now, Pharaoh! I will not defeat you if you do not act as the person you are! Your lineage was not made of cowardice, it was made of strength, courage and wisdom. I demand that you give me the fight that I deserve!"  
  
"Then you shall have it, Spirit," said Yami as he began to slip a card off his deck, "but you are mistaking the definition of cowardice. A coward is not one that shows his fear, but one who fights it. And I promise you I shall fight this Duel to its end!"  
  
"Then take your move, and back up your words, Pharaoh!" cried Yami Bakura, "I will not take the power of a Pharaoh who is too cowardly to fight for his own life!"  
  
"Let's finish this!"  
  
Yeah, yeah, sappy ending, I know. But I got kind of bored of keeping the air of doom up so I decided to make Yami Bakura say a few insults. Check in next time for a much shorter chapter to see the conclusions of all six Duels!  
  
Lord of Light, Duke of Darkness, and Warrior of Balance are MINE! They are MY original cards, and they are the ONLY original cards that will be appearing in this story. 


	14. The Black Gate of Death

WARNING: The duel endings here are REALLY short. Sorry.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Fourteen-The Black Gate of Death  
Also Entitled-The End of Life's Road  
  
The path of life that lies forever before us has an infinite number of forks and branches. Some turns we are forced to take, but most we must choose ourselves. Will you commit crimes, or will you uphold your people's laws? This is a choice left to you. However, the final choice that is made is made by outside forces, and it shall always come in the end: how shall you die?  
  
. . . Someone watches . . . -  
  
"Now THIS is more like it," said the viewer to the man beside him as he gazed over the four scenes before him as the Duels took place, "just look at them, all fighting for their lives. And that Wheeler is so pathetic lying there. I'm glad we have made considerable progress in my plans. However," he frowned as he continued, "it is unfortunate that the Pharaoh could not be found. Oh well," he grinned, "I wanted to face him myself anyway."  
  
. . . The bottom floor . . . –  
  
"How could they all just disappear like that?" Tristan nearly shouted in frustration as he, Serenity, and Tea all walked about in an attempt to find their missing friends.  
  
"I have no idea," conceded Tea, "but that's why we're walking around aimlessly, now, isn't it?"  
  
"I hope we find them," said Serenity in a worried tone, "I feel like something bad's happening to Joey. I think he might be in big trouble."  
  
"Hey, don't worry," said Tristan for the who-knows-how-many'th time since the dubbers hacked the script for the show up, then followed it up with another overly used phrase, "he can take care of himself, and I'm sure Yugi and the others can, too."  
  
Serenity, however, did not say something like "Thanks Tristan" because that phrase is used WAY too much as well and this is definitely not a feel-good story.  
  
"Hey, let's split up," said Tea in a way that suggested that she did not at all take into consideration that she would probably be unable to do anything helpful to several grown men and three teenagers if they had been abducted by some hostile force without at least having SOME help, "we'll be able to cover more ground in this huge hotel. I'll look around where they vanished, you guys look upstairs." The last part almost justified her suggestion, which has been used far too much in obscure horror movies that just end up being pathetic because the murderer kills everyone in the group except two or three people because they split up to find them.  
  
"Yeah," agreed Serenity with a nod.  
  
"Okay," said Tristan," and we'll meet up back here in thirty."  
  
With that, the search squad broke up.  
  
. . . The domain of the Forbidden One . . . -  
  
"PREPARE TO SPEND THE REST OF ETERNITY IN THE PRISON MEANT FOR ME, PATHETIC WARRIOR," said Exodia as he flexed his form's body, "YOU HAVE NO CHANCE OF DEFEATING ME, I AM INDESTRUCTIBLE, AND YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DEFEND YOU. IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE I CRUSH YOUR LAST MONSTER AND GO IN FOR THE KILL!"  
  
Exodia: 200 Term: 2700  
  
Term glared daggers at Exodia, "We'll see who ends up spending their days locked up in here," he said coldly. He drew his card, and visibly sighed. He had failed to draw a monster, and this card was totally useless. [I guess he's right. This card would be great in almost any other case, but it's useless without a monster on the field, and all I have is that facedown card]. He stopped, then looked at the facedown car again, and grinned. "I play the Spell card Cost Down, discarding a card from my hand to decrease the level of all monsters on my side of the field by two for this turn." He slipped one card into his graveyard, then grinned as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "now I activate Call of the Haunted, reviving my Mystical Knight of Jackal (2700/1200), who I discarded for Cost Down's effect!" For the second straight Duel, the Cost Down card allowed the Anubis-like monster to step onto the field. It hefted its golden blades and matched glares with Exodia as it raised the weapons to do battle. "Now to win this Duel! Mystical Knight of Jackal, attack Exodia Necross!"  
  
The humanoid jackal rushed forward with the agility only it could possess and stabbed at Exodia with its ornate weapon. Exodia raised his arm to block the blow, and actually cringed in pain as the blade pierced his arm and went straight through.  
  
Exodia: 0 Term: 2700  
  
Exodia growled, then lashed at the Mystical Knight of Jackal with a glowing fist, catching the beast in the stomach. The blade was forced out by the blow to its wielder, and Exodia snarled at the green glowing crack in his arm. "YOUR JACKAL ONLY MADE A SIMPLE FLESH WOUND!" he yelled, "NOW I SHALL SHOW YOU TRUE POWER!"  
  
"But you lost!" shouted Term in outrage.  
  
"FOOL! DO YOU THINK I AM RESTRICTED BY THE RULES OF YOUR PATHETIC GAME!? NOW I SHALL SHOW YOU THE TRUE POWER BEHIND THE GREATEST MONSTER IN THE SHADOW REALM!"  
  
He charged the Mystical Knight of Jackal and struck it again with his glowing fist, and continued his barehanded onslaught as the beast tried to defend itself with its twin blades. Suddenly, five golden chains lanced from the four corners of the room and the middle of the ceiling. The one from the ceiling clamped about Exodia's neck, while the other four wrapped around his wrists and ankles. They then pulled his body apart as he cried in anguish, pulling the five parts of his body into the stone walls of the room as his body disintegrated.  
  
Term looked a bit shocked as he saw the final remnants of Exodia's Necross form disperse. He then gazed at the Mystical Knight of Jackal, who looked back with its red eyes. He then glanced at its right shoulder, which was bleeding badly. "Thank you," he said in a sort of daze. The Jackal nodded, and then faded into a transparent form before drifting away as if in a breeze. Term smiled, then walked over to the unconscious form of Exodus, and picked him up. He then headed back down the hallway to where he hoped Lin would be.  
  
- . . . The domain of the five Gods . . . -  
  
Pentan's cruel grin was as wide as his face would allow. He looked beyond the immense form of his Five God Dragon at Lin, who drew his card. He continued to stare in grave amusement as his opponent placed a card facedown and signaled the end of his turn.  
  
Pentan: 4000 Lin: 1000  
  
Pentan drew and looked at his card in vague disappointment. Still nothing that would allow him to deal more damage to Lin. Not that it mattered, the Five God Dragon was unbeatable, and Lin only had a certain number of monsters in his deck. It was only a matter of time . . .  
  
"I'll just have the Five God Dragon attack your facedown monster before ending my turn," Pentan stated. This time he sounded casual, as he knew that it was all over. In reality, the only thing he had ever had to do that required him to use any skill was getting the dragon out, and then his opponents stood absolutely no chance. He watched Lin flipped up his facedown card, Waboku. He rolled his eyes. How pathetic. Protecting a monster that would be destroyed in another turn anyway. He ended his turn.  
  
Lin drew, and instantly played his card, "Pot of Greed." He then picked up two more cards and grinned. His grin was wider than Pentan's. "I now shift my facedown Headless Knight (1450/1700) into attack mode."  
  
Pentan watched in bewilderment as the empty suit of armor appeared, sword held in an offensive position. "Are you crazy?" he asked with a laugh, "Now you've given me a target to attack on my next turn."  
  
"There's not going to be a next turn," replied Lin, "and the reasons why are right here: three Spell cards. The first one I've had on the field for the past few turns. I activate Banner of Courage, which boosts my monsters' attack powers by 200 during my Battle Phase." A red banner with a blue symbol painted on it appeared behind the Headless Knight, and it began to glow a light blue. "Next, I play Monster Reborn, reviving my monster of choice, the Hayabusa Knight!" The bird warrior reappeared next to the Headless Knight, and it also began to glow a light blue.  
  
"So what?" spat Pentan, "you've brought out another weakling of a monster and given them both a meager bit of extra strength. You still can do nothing."  
  
"You're wrong," said Lin in a serious tone, "I have the card that will defeat you right here in my hand. It's strange. Before I came to this tournament I never thought I'd have to use it, but something told me to keep it in my deck. And now, I understand why. I play De-Fusion! Which will take your Five God Dragon away from the field!"  
  
The five-headed dragon seemed to become five dragons, and then all of them disappeared, leaving Pentan with an empty field. "But where are my monsters!?" he said in panic.  
  
"You don't get them," said Lin simply, "the monsters you used as the Fusion were all tokens, made by Spell cards. They remain in your graveyard. And now, my monsters will attack directly and finish you off!"  
  
Both knights leapt forward, and their swords flashed through the air, cutting Pentan in several places and bringing him to his knees as they dealt a total of 4050 damage (120012001650=4050).  
  
Pentan: 0 Lin: 1000  
  
Pentan cried in anguish as the floor seemed to swallow him. Lin watched as his monsters faded and silently mourned the death of his opponent, who was now sentenced to live through eternity without ever feeling happiness again. He turned and walked from the room, hoping he would never set foot in it again.  
  
. . . The Gate of Death . . .-  
  
Note: This version of Death is actually based on the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett. Read 'em, they're funny.  
  
Joey woke up. In the spiritual sense, anyway. He slowly opened his eyes, but could only see a dense fog that was all about him. He pushed himself up off his stomach into a sitting position. After doing so, he looked around again. The fog came up to his knee and was everywhere about him. To his left he saw a tall black gate. Beyond it was a forest of black, dead trees. The sky above was black with thunderclouds, but at the same time Joey wondered if the darkness would remain if the clouds dispersed. He heard a strange voice behind him, and whipped his head about when he heard it. WELCOME, JOSEPH WHEELER, it said.  
  
When Joey saw the speaker, he could only think of one thing to say, "Oh, crap."  
  
THAT'S HOW A GREAT DEAL OF THE PEOPLE REACT WHEN I MEET THEM, said Death. He was sitting as if on an invisible stool, his scythe balanced on his black-robed knees. His face was, of course, a skull, and his eye sockets shone with emptiness.  
  
Joey stood up and walked over to Death, who got up from his sitting position. "So, I'm dead, right?" he asked in a rhetorical tone.  
  
NO, NOT YET, responded Death, BUT MOST LIKELY YOU WILL BE SOON.  
  
"Then why am I here?" asked Joey, confused, "From all the stories I here, Death doesn't tell people they're going to die soon, 'cause then they'd get a chance to avoid it."  
  
YES. WELL, said Death, as he prepared to explain, YOU ARE A BIT OF A SPECIAL CASE.  
  
"What kind of 'special case'?"  
  
WELL, YOU KNOW HOW THEY SAY THAT EVERYONE'S DESTINY WAS WRITTEN BEFORE LIFE BEGAN?  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
THAT'S A MYTH. IN REALITY, DESTINY LETS A LOT OF PEOPLE DECIDE WHAT TO DO THEMSELVES, THEY'RE JUST INCLINED TO DO WHAT HE –SUGGESTED- BEFORE LIFE BEGAN. HOWEVER, HE REALLY DIDN'T DO MUCH BEFORE LIFE BEGAN, SO HE REALLY DOESN'T CONTROL ANYTHING. HOWEVER, HE TOLD ME THAT YOU WERE TO BE A SPECIAL CASE. YOU SEE, MANY PEOPLE MUST OBEY THE LAWS OF PROBABILITY IN CHOOSING THEIR DESTINY. YOU FOR INSTANCE, CANNOT STOP YOURSELF FROM DYING. HOWEVER, DESTINY HAS SEEN THAT YOU WILL PAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE SOON, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO LIVE IF YOU CAN PASS A SMALL TEST.  
  
"Oh great, do I have to play you at cards or chess?"  
  
NO, Death seemed confused, WHY WOULD YOU THINK THAT?  
  
"Um," Joey seemed more confused, ". . . never mind."  
  
VERY WELL. YOU SEE, YOU MUST MAKE THIS STONE GLOW BLUE. Death handed Joey a red jewel. TO DO SO, YOU MUST THINK OF AS MANY REASONS AS POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO LIVE.  
  
Joey looked at the jewel and squinted. He felt a large gap appear in his mind. "I can't . . . remember anything . . . "  
  
THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED, YOUR MIND IS PROBABLY BEING AFFECTED BY THE POISON. OH, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO KNOW THAT IF YOU DO NOT PASS YOUR TEST IN FIVE MINUTES, YOU WILL DIE.  
  
- . . . Ciom's prison . . . -  
  
The horrid cartoon version of the Blue Eyes White Dragon laughed maniacally as it released a blast of lightning from its mouth. Yamato's hand moved with great show of reflexes to push a button on his Duel Disk, and a barrier of light shot up around him, blocking the blow of the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon. "Negate Attack," he explained simply to a frowning Ciom, "and that ends your turn as well." He drew a card and added it to his hand before stating, "I now activate my facedown Metal Morph, which will give my Vorse Raider an additional 300 attack and defense." The reptilian creature before him became covered in silver armor. The warrior's head became covered by a round helmet that had small eye-slots, while the gauntlets of the armor sprouted claws. "But that's not all," continued Yamato, "because whenever my monster attacks another monster now, it will gain attack power equal to half the attack of the monster it attacks." The Vorse Raider began to glow a brilliant bright white that crackled with lightning much like the lightning that the Toon Dragon had just used to attack Yamato. "Vorse Raider, destroy his Blue Eyes Toon Dragon." The armored reptilian warrior, now with its power at an awesome 3700/1500, leapt forward, its glaive raised high. The bladed weapon cut through the cartoon, and it sent volts of electricity coursing through the monster, destroying it.  
  
Ciom: 2800 Yamato: 3100  
  
Ciom growled at Yamato, whose composure had not changed much throughout the entire duel. It seemed as though Yamato and Ciom were opposites, with Ciom reacting heavily as his monsters dealt damage, while Yamato remained calm and simply kept going no matter what situation he was in. Ciom ripped a card out of his Duel Disk, and immediately played it, "I play Pot of Greed, and draw two more cards." As his gaze swept over the two cards, he snickered, then erupted in laughter. "Now prepare to meet your doom! I play Premature Burial, paying 800 Life Points to summon my Blue Eyes Toon Dragon from the graveyard!" The chubby dragon appeared again, its face looking mischievous as ever.  
  
Ciom: 2000 Yamato: 3100  
  
"And," continued the clown, "to make sure that annoying Vorse Raider doesn't give me any more trouble, I play Harpie's Feather Duster, which will destroy both the Metal Morph that gives him his power boost, as well as the Call of the Haunted that keeps him alive!" Both of Yamato's Traps were swept away by the Feather Duster, and the Vorse Raider cried out as it was dragged back into the earth. "Now to attack directly with my mighty Blue Eyes Toon Dragon!" The dragon cackled insanely, and let out a blast of lightning. This time the blow was unchecked, and Yamato took the blast full in the face.  
  
Ciom: 1500 Yamato: 100  
  
Ciom grinned as he saw victory open its hand to him. Yamato drew his card, then played the Pot of Greed and drew two more. Ciom went back to his normal joking self. "Hah! You copycat! However, those two cards definitely won't do for you what mine did for me."  
  
Yamato silently stared at the cards, then looked up at his opponent and agreed, "No, they do not."  
  
"Haha! Hurry up and end your turn then so that I can-"  
  
"They do better," Ciom quirked an eyebrow at Yamato's statement. He then watched as Yamato slid the first of the two cards into his Duel Disk, "I revive my Vorse Raider with Monster Reborn." The reptilian warrior appeared on the field for the third time, and glared at the person that had sent it to the graveyard twice. Yamato then assisted the beast in its bid for revenge by playing his second card, "Now I play my most powerful Spell card, the life-stealing Riryoku, which transfers half the attack of your Blue Eyes Toon Dragon to my Vorse Raider." Waves of energy flooded out of the cartoon dragon and into Yamato's Vorse Raider. The warrior let out a roar of challenge while the dragon whimpered as it felt its strength leave.  
  
"Vorse Raider," said Yamato calmly as Ciom yelled in panic and pulled at his hair, "attack the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon and win us this Duel." The Vorse Raider raised its glaive high and rushed forward before dealing the cartoon dragon a deathblow for the second time.  
  
Ciom: 0 Yamato: 100  
  
Ciom yelled and cried in panic as the square in the floor that he had been standing on disappeared and he began to fall into the Shadow Realm. Yamato leapt forward from where he stood to try and grab his former jailer, but his hand fell short of grabbing the clown's arm and he could only look down as Ciom vanished into darkness. He stood up slowly and looked at his Vorse Raider, which began to fade. Before it left, it saluted just as the Gadget Soldier had done. Yamato returned the salute as he had done before, and the Vorse Raider pointed at a blue circle in one of the walls that Yamato determined to be a portal. Then the monster vanished completely, and Yamato walked into the disc.  
  
. . . The real world, Serenity and Tristan separately search the building,  
and Serenity gets ever closer to Joey . . . -  
  
. . . The Gate of Death . . . -  
  
Death looked on silently as Joey wracked his brain for answers. He knew there had to be reasons, the problem was that the crystal didn't, and wouldn't unless the person holding it thought about them. Beings without minds can only learn things in a very direct manner.  
  
. . . Floor 5 ½ . . . -  
  
Lightning stared at the Warrior of Balance (8500/8500) in awe. He had only two monsters protecting him from the awesomely powerful monster, but he knew all too well that they would not survive long.  
  
Thunder: 1200 Lightning: 1800  
  
Lightning drew his card while staring down Thunder, who was now acting as a spectator rather than a Duelist. "I'll just set one card facedown and end my turn," said, slipping the card into his Duel Disk.  
  
The Warrior of Balance immediately leapt at the Thunder Nyan Nyan with its double bladed sword raised above its head. But Lightning beat the monster to the punch, "I activate Shift, which causes you to attack my Guardian Tryce instead." The Thunder Nyan Nyan was immediately replaced by the Guardian Tryce, which cried out in anguish and was destroyed.  
  
"It would seem that your Trap accomplished nothing," commented Thunder.  
  
"Is that so?" replied Lightning as the Mega Thunderball appeared where the Guardian had been. "Because when Guardian Tryce is destroyed, the monster that was sacrificed to summon him is immediately Special Summoned from the graveyard."  
  
"It still did nothing," said Thunder simply, "after all, Mega Thunderball is a Wind monster, and since Thunder Nyan Nyan is destroyed if you have any non-Light monsters on your field . . . "  
  
Lightning looked a bit surprised as his Thunder Nyan Nyan immediately vanished. He mentally kicked himself as he drew. He then placed down the card he had drawn, "I play Pot of Greed so that I can draw two more cards (yes, I have officially abused the use of Pot of Greed. Don't worry, this is the last use for this chapter." He placed the Spell card in his graveyard and drew two more cards. He then selected one of the cards he had drawn and placed the monster in defense mode. He simply signaled the end of his turn. Before the Warrior of Balance could strike, however, he interrupted, "I discard Kuriboh, which will cause the Warrior of Balance to do no damage this turn." A brown puffball with yellow eyes and four small, green claws appeared in front of Lightning's monsters, and the Warrior of Balance lowered its weapon.  
  
Lightning drew again, and began to sweat as he simply placed another monster in defense mode. The Warrior of Balance, now at 9000/9000 since Kuriboh was in the graveyard, immediately struck down Lightning's first facedown monster, destroying it even before it was revealed. Obviously it had been a Light or Dark monster, though, as Warrior of Balance now was at 9500/9500.  
  
"Victory is near, mighty Warrior of Balance!" Thunder cheered the monster on, "Your power cannot be matched, and soon you shall be victor of this Duel!"  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, Thunder," said Lightning, "but I'm the one who's going to win this one. First off, I flip my Kaiser Seahorse (1700/1650) into attack mode." A warrior wearing blue armor decorated with purple fish fins appeared in front of him, carrying a yellow trident.  
  
"That move is suicide," commented Thunder, "your monster's power simply adds to that of the Warrior of Balance (10000/10000)!"  
  
"I won't have Kaiser Seahorse on the field for long," explained Lightning as he slipped the armored warrior and the Mega Thunderball off of his Duel Disk and placed them in the graveyard slot, "because I now tribute it and my Mega Thunderball for my favorite monster, Gilford the Lightning (2800/1400)!" A man armored in silver and wearing an orange cape appeared in a flash of lightning. He carried a tremendous broadsword.  
  
"I see no point in sacrificing your monsters for that," said Thunder, "he won't last long, and you have nothing on the field to protect him."  
  
"Looks like an explanation's in order," said Lightning, "you see, Kaiser Seahorse, when sacrificed for a Light monster, counts for two sacrifices."  
  
"Then why did you bother sacrificing Mega Thunderball as well?"  
  
"Because when Gilford the Lightning receives three tributes instead of two, his effect activates." Lightning pointed his finger over Gilford's shoulder at the Warrior of Balance, "Gilford! Use your Raigeki Strike to destroy all of his monsters!" Gilford raised his sword, which now crackled with blue electricity. He raised the sword to the sky, and a lightning bolt struck from above, destroying the Warrior of Balance. Thunder watched in horror as he watched the Warrior's one weakness be exploited to its fullest. "Now, Gilford! Attack directly!" Gilford raised his large sword and leapt into the air. He brought the blade down, still crackling with energy, on Thunder, causing him to fall back under the blow.  
  
Thunder: 0 Lightning: 1800  
  
Lightning looked at Gilford and nodded thankfully at him. Gilford responded with a nod of his own before beginning to walk off and vanishing.  
  
Thunder got up from the ground and handed Lightning the Lord of Light, Duke of Darkness, and Warrior of Balance. Lightning began to thank him, but Thunder cut him off, "Remember, these are not meant for you, they are meant for another. You are simply to give them to him."  
  
Lightning nodded, "Don't worry, I know who."  
  
Thunder walked off into the shadows after a final goodbye, and Lightning reverted back to Kirbin, who walked back to the elevator.  
  
. . . The Gate of Death . . . -  
  
YOU MAY WANT TO KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ONLY TWO MINUTES LEFT, Death told Joey, YOU KNOW, I HAVE LEARNED NOT TO PITY THOSE WHO DIE. AFTER ALL, THEY'RE MOSTLY THE ONLY PEOPLE I EVER MEET. HOWEVER, I WOULD REALLY LIKE YOU TO LIVE IN THIS CASE. IT WOULD BE QUITE INTERESTING IF YOU DID.  
  
"I can't . . . remember anything . . . ," Joey replied, almost to himself.  
  
WELL, I CANNOT BEND THE RULES OF THE TEST. YOU MUST FIND A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF . . . REASONS IN ORDER FOR YOU TO LIVE.  
  
. . . The Hotel . . . -  
  
Serenity, by pure chance (or by divine intervention by the author), looked down a hallway and spotted Joey lying on the ground. She then saw Assanto and the Duel Monsters between them. She rushed over to her older brother and began to shake his unconscious form, oblivious to all else around her. "Joey! Wake up!" She saw the dart that had pierced Joey's shoulder and a small amount of the poison dripping from the blade. That was enough for her to deduce what had happened. She continued to shake her brother and call his name as tears began to roll down her face.  
  
"Stop your pathetic bawling," said Assanto as he looked on, "the poison shall claim his life within one minute. If you don't leave by then, I'll kill you as well. Use your common sense and start running."  
  
"Please, Joey . . . wake up . . . "  
  
. . . The Gate of Death . . . -  
  
"I hear something," said Joey, "like someone's trying to whisper something in my ear, but it's so unclear that I can't understand that . . . "  
  
MOST LIKELY SOMEONE ON EARTH TRYING TO WAKE YOU UP, responded Death. He looked away from Joey, as if peering at something in the distance. YES, he said as he turned back, IT'S YOUR SISTER.  
  
"Serenity!" cried Joey, "Dat's a reason! I can't just die on her!" The jewel in his hand began to glow orange as he spoke, catching his attention briefly. "And all the others, too, Yugi, and Tea, and Tristan, and the rest of my friends. I'd be letting all of them down now if I just left like this." The jewel flashed multiple colors before coming to a brilliant blue.  
  
Death seemed to grin in a way that required no facial expression. YES, WONDERFUL, he said, IT'S A GOOD THING YOU HEARD YOUR SISTER.  
  
Joey cocked an eyebrow at Death before responding, "Yeah, but you were da one who-" he stopped. It was best not to mention such things to the collector of souls, although Joey was certain he saw one of Death's eye sockets flash briefly, as though he were winking. "So, what now?"  
  
YOUR TEST IS NOT COMPLETE YET. YOU MUST STILL DEFEAT ASSANTO IN A DUEL. YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, IN WHICH YOU WILL FEEL NONE OF THE EFFECTS OF THE POISON. HOWEVER, IF YOU LOSE OR NO RESULT IS DECIDED IN THOSE FIVE MINUTES, THEN YOU WILL DIE. IF YOU WIN, YOU LIVE. I WOULD WISH YOU LUCK, BUT I BELIEVE THAT YOU HAVE RECEIVED ENOUGH HELP.  
  
Death began to walk off, and Joey called after him, "Hey," Death stopped. "Thanks."  
  
THANK DESTINY.  
  
. . . The Hotel . . . -  
  
Joey slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was his sister's worried face that began to brighten as she saw him stir. "Serenity . . . ," he said a bit drowsily. However, with little time for conversation, he quickly stood up. "Let's finish dis, Assanto."  
  
"Impossible!" cried Assanto as he stepped back in shock, "You should be dead!"  
  
"I was given a temporary pardon," replied Joey with a grin.  
  
Assanto recovered himself and said back with his own grin, "It doesn't matter, you will be eliminated soon enough. You'll lost this Duel as soon as I draw."  
  
Assanto: 7200 Joey: 500  
  
"We'll see about dat," responded Joey as he drew. His grin widened, "I sacrifice Panther Warrior-"  
  
"HAH!" scoffed Assanto, "It doesn't matter how strong that monster is, it won't be able to get past my Gravity Bind!"  
  
"Not in this case, ya lousy son of a –this word has been censored because I feel that there may be less mature readers going through this story-," Joey shot back as he summoned his monster, "cause I'm summoning Jinzo (2400/1500) in attack mode!"  
  
"No!" cried Assanto as both of his Traps became useless.  
  
"Now, Jinzo! Destroy his Fire Princess!" Jinzo summoned a sphere of crackling black energy in its hands, then released it at Assanto's only monster. "Baby Dragon, follow it up by attacking directly!" The orange dragon took a breath, then released a fireball at Assanto.  
  
Assanto: 6000 Joey: 500  
  
Assanto drew his card in anger, and simply played a defense monster before ending his turn. Joey drew his own card and went into action, "I summon Mad Sword Beast (1400/1200)!" A rhinoceros-like creature appeared beside Jinzo. Its back was covered by a giant turtle shell from which curved blades extended at the sides. "Mad Sword Beast, attack his defense monster!" The beast charged at the facedown monster and trampled on it. A monster that Joey did not recognize (A/N: Originally supposed to be Cannon Soldier, but then I realized that Assanto would have to be an idiot to put it into defense mode.) with 1000 defense was destroyed. "Jinzo, Baby Dragon, attack directly!" Both the large android and the infantile dragon launched their attacks at Assanto, hauling him down in Life Points.  
  
Assanto: 2000 Joey: 500  
  
Serenity smiled as she watched her brother pull off his comeback. But then she worried as Assanto actually began to grin as he set another defense monster.  
  
"Mad Sword Beast!" exclaimed Joey, "Attack the facedo-"  
  
"Joey, wait!" shouted Serenity. Joey cut off his command and looked at her, confused. "Don't attack with Mad Sword Beast, I really don't like the way he's acting."  
  
Joey examined Assanto's face momentarily. Assanto began to very visibly sweat as Joey stared him in the face. "I think you're right, Serenity," Joey conceded, "Besides, he'll lose anyway if Jinzo just destroys his monster. Jinzo, attack!" Jinzo released another attack upon Assanto's defense, this time revealing a man with an extremely large shield. "Hey!" recognized Joey, "That's Big Shield Gardna (100/2600)! I would've lost if Mad Sword Beast had attacked!"  
  
Assanto: 2000 Joey: 300  
  
Assanto began to panic as Big Shield Gardna switched to attack mode, "Now to finish dis!" cried Joey as he thrust his finger at Assanto, "Baby Dragon, Mad Sword Beast, attack together!" The Mad Sword Beast ran forward and slammed its razor-sharp horn into the Big Shield Gardna, and the dragon released another fireball from its mouth, striking Assanto in the chest.  
  
Assanto: 0 Joey: 300  
  
Serenity wrapped Joey in a bear hug, "I was so worried about you!"  
  
Joey smiled at his sister and hugged her back., "What? You were worried about me? You shoulda' worried about dat guy," he motioned to Assanto, and immediately noticed the assassin was clutching his head in pain. The man then fell facedown onto the floor. When Joey walked over to the man who had tried to kill him, he felt his pulse. He then turned the man over and looked at his eyes, which were empty black voids. "Dead," he announced, "in the Shadow Realm."  
  
"I really hate to say it," said Serenity, "but I think he deserved it."  
  
And they both made their way to the stairs.  
  
. . . The bottom floor . . . -  
  
Tea watched in surprise as Term, Lin, and Yamato appeared practically out of thin air. Term was carrying Exodus over his shoulder. Tea jogged up to them and instantly began asking questions. "What happened? Where were you guys? Where're Joey, Bakura, and Yugi? Wh-"  
  
Yamato held up a hand to silence her. "It's a long story," he said, "but we're all fine. I'm not sure about Yugi and the others, but they could be in trouble, especially if they got in the same situation we did."  
  
"At least it did some good," commented Term as he opened his KS, "now Lin and I have enough chips for the finals. But I think that some of us should take care of Exodus here first."  
  
Exodus groaned, and Term propped him against the wall as he awakened. "Whoa . . ., " he groaned, "that was weird."  
  
"You alright?" asked Lin.  
  
"Yeah, I'll be fine. Too bad I'm out of the tournament. Sheesh, I hope something like that never happens to me again."  
  
"Alright," said Yamato decisively, "let's find Yugi and the others."  
  
. . . The Shadow Realm . . . -  
  
Yami drew his card, and immediately played it, "I summon a monster in defense mode, and end my turn."  
  
Yami Bakura: 1800 Yami: 700  
  
Yami Bakura grinned wickedly as he set Spirit Message "A" on the field. As he drew, he taunted the pharaoh, "Just one more letter, then you lose. But for now, I'll take down your monster using your own Gamma the Magnet Warrior!" Gamma fired a blast of electricity from its horn, striking the facedown Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000) and destroying it. "Your move, Pharaoh," Yami Bakura's grin widened, "your 'Final' move."  
  
Yami sweated as he drew his card, the card that would decide the result of the Duel. "I can assure you, spirit," Yami called to Yami Bakura, "that whatever this card is, that it shall lead to your defeat!" He then glanced at the card he had drawn and smiled. "And now you shall see how! I play Monster Reborn, reviving my Dark Magician, which you forced me to discard when you activated your Morphing Jar's effect!" The purple-robed mage appeared before Yami, prepared to serve its pharaoh.  
  
Yami Bakura grew slightly nervous, but recovered quickly and continued his taunting, "It doesn't matter that you have your favorite monster on the field, you'll only cause me to lose a few sparse Life Points before I finish you off!"  
  
"Not with this card, thief!" replied Yami as he played another Spell card, "I play a card that you forced me to draw when you activated Morphing Jar! It's called Magical Boxes!" A tall black box covered with yellow question marks appeared around the Dark Magician, and a second one around Gamma the Magnet Warrior. Yami Bakura began to cry in anguish as he watched the "trick" take place, and the box that the Dark Magician was supposedly in become skewered with swords. Then the box opened to reveal a butchered Gamma, while the box Gamma had been in open to reveal the Dark Magician. "Now, Dark Magician!" commanded Yami with a dramatic wave of his arm, "Finish this Duel with your Dark Magic Attack!" The mage raised its emerald staff and released a wave of dark energy at the possessor of the Millennium Ring, causing the target to cry out in a combination of frustration and pure rage.  
  
Yami Bakura: 0 Yami: 700  
  
The spirit of the Millennium Ring snickered as the Dark Magician faded away. He then went into a state of evil badness that consisted of laughing loudly, maliciously, and annoyingly. "You may have won this battle, Pharaoh," said the spirit as the shadows began to envelope him, "but believe my words when I state that you have not seen the last of Wraith, the greatest thief of Egypt!" And then he was gone, and Bakura fell, unconscious, to the ground.  
  
"Wraith," pondered Yami as the darkness faded and made way for the light of the realm that he knew as his home, "so he has a name . . . " He reverted control back to Yugi, who made his way back to his friends.  
  
For those of you who make a connection, yes, I did get the idea for Wraith's name from the Nazgul in J.R.R. Tolkien's LotR novels. So, no suing me, Pete Jackson! 


	15. Realizations

Review responses!  
  
Vaurnut: You'll get to remember them eventually. Besides, compared to some of my favorite authors, my use of OCs is pitiful.  
  
GymRat: I fear no luggage! So long as it stays on the other side of the road and I don't bother it I should survive an encounter with it . . .  
  
michael-91: WILL YOU SHUT UP ABOUT THE CHAPTERS BEING TOO LONG!? I'LL DO WHATEVER I WANT! Also, don't tell me I need more action in my duels or any of that, because YOU don't happen to have any Yu-Gi-Oh works of your own. And, about your story, you need to improve your grammar.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Fifteen-Realizations  
Also Entitled: Jin Juzi Nai Hua Hua  
  
The man looked at the screens before him with a frown. All missions had failed. He spoke to the man who was ever-present at his side, "It is unfortunate that not one of them was defeated. All four challenged, and they all won. Oh well. No loss at all there, I still have enough duelists at my disposal. It won't take long for them to fall."  
  
. . . Floor One, in front of the elevator shafts . . . -  
  
Giyan's brow curved downward as he stared at the indicator for the elevator. Both had frozen in their movement, one showing that the elevator was both at floor five and floor six. He assumed that there was some sort of malfunction causing this, but the fact still nagged at him somewhat. He was currently leaning against the wall opposite the doors to the elevator in question.  
  
A few feet to Giyan's right was Rebecca Hawkins, who had tucked her teddy bear under her arm and was waited impatiently for the elevator as well. After several minutes, she took her deck out of her Duel Disk and scanned through it. Still later, she shuffled the cards and inserted them back into her Duel Disk before turning to Giyan. She addressed him a bit sharply, "Hey, you were on the same plane as I was, right? So you're a pretty good duelist."  
  
Giyan turned his head to her and replied quietly, "I can hold my own."  
  
"Well, now you're gonna have to hold your own against me, because I'm challenging you to a Duel!"  
  
Giyan raised his eyebrows before replying, "I'm sorry, but there are some important things I have to deal with upstairs right now and I don't have time to face you."  
  
Rebecca snorted before persisting, "You're just a coward who's afraid to lose any of his cards! Besides, the elevator's been stuck for half an hour, there's plenty of time before it'll arrive."  
  
Giyan sighed. He hated having to put aside the task at hand, but he also hated having to decline a challenge. Rebecca had a point, the elevator would not arrive for some time. Ten minutes, then, perhaps . . . "Very well," he replied after consideration, "but let's make it quick, I have business to attend to." With that, the two activated their Duel Disks.  
  
Rebecca: 4000 Giyan: 4000  
  
"You don't have to worry about this being quick," said Rebecca as she drew her sixth card, "you'll be done in just a few turns. I set one card facedown, and a monster in defense mode before ending my turn." Both cards appeared on the field, one perpendicular to the other.  
  
Giyan drew while peering at Rebecca's field. He had heard a great deal about her unusual strategy, and he knew that speed would be of the essence to defeat her. "I summon Dark Blade (1800/1500)," he declared as he slipped the Monster card onto his Duel Disk. Before him a black-armored knight appeared. Its black cape looked like a shadow flowing across the wearer's back, and ruby-colored eyes glowed maliciously through the thin visor of the knight. The knight carried twin razor-sharp cutlasses that shone brightly. "Next I'll place a card facedown," continued Giyan as the brown card appeared behind his Dark Blade. "Now, Dark Blade, attack her facedown monster!" The black-armored knight glided across the field with the silence of a shadow and struck the horizontal card in front of Rebecca. The card was revealed momentarily as the Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200) before the witch cried out and vanished.  
  
Rebecca grinned as she found her monster and Giyan ended his turn. She then drew her own card and smiled happily as she began the infamous talk-to- stuffed-bear routine, "Look at what we drew, Teddy!" She then took on a deep voice and spoke on the bear's behalf, "Yep, yep, that's a good card, Rebecca!" Giyan could not help but sigh at the girl's actions. "Now, I'm playing Graceful Charity, which lets me draw three cards and then discard two!" She flipped three cards off the top her deck with gusto before selecting two different cards from her hand and sliding them into the graveyard to join her Witch. "And now, I'll show you what a genius I am! I activate my facedown Final Destiny, discarding five cards from my hand to destroy every card on the field!"  
  
Her entire hand, save one card, was tossed into the graveyard with great enthusiasm. A large missile then screamed out of the sky and struck the field, generating a huge mushroom cloud. When the dust cleared, the field was totally empty, and Rebecca was talking to her bear again, "Gosh, you're a genius Rebecca! Why, thank teddy, now let's attack him." After whirling the bear about in the air a few times, she reverted her attention back to the Duel. "Now, I'll summon Cannon Soldier (1400/1000) and attack directly!" A purple humanoid robot with a long-barreled cannon for a head appeared before her, then launched a laser from its cannon, striking Giyan in the chest.  
  
Rebecca: 4000 Giyan: 2600  
  
Giyan drew his card and smiled slightly in approval of Rebecca's good move. There was more to this girl than even he had thought. It would take a bit of effort to counter her attack. "I summon one monster facedown in defense mode," he declared as he set the monster on the field, "and that's all for now."  
  
"Your monster won't do a thing to help you," said Rebecca as she drew her own card and laid it down, "now I'll draw two cards thanks to my Pot of Greed." She took two more cards off of the top of her deck and examined them briefly before playing both. "First I'll summon Stuffed Animal (1200/900)." A stuffed bear appeared on the field. That's right, a stuffed bear. Nothing vicious at all about it. Well, except for the mouth with razor sharp teeth running from its left shoulder to its right hip. "And then I play Black Pendant on Cannon Soldier, increasing its attack by 500!" continued Rebecca as a necklace imbedded with a purple jewel appeared around the Cannon Soldier's mounted cannon, and its power increased to 1900/1000. "Now," commanded Rebecca, "Cannon Soldier, attack his facedown monster!" The cannon soldier launched another blast from its cannon, revealing the card to be a red wall with a fanged purple face before it was destroyed.  
  
"That was my Wall of Illusion (1000/1850)," explained Giyan briefly, "when it is attacked, the attacking monster returns to its controller's hand."  
  
Rebecca frowned as she picked up her Cannon Soldier, but brightened as she ordered the Stuffed Bear to attack. The bear's strange mouth wrapped around Giyan's leg in a hard bite and the doll growled as it assaulted him.  
  
Rebecca: 4000 Giyan: 1400  
  
"One more thing before I end my turn," said Rebecca, "because Cannon Soldier returned to my hand, the Black Pendant went to the graveyard, meaning you lose 500 more Life Points." Giyan cringed as he watched his Life Points drop even further.  
  
Rebecca: 4000 Giyan: 900  
  
Giyan closed his eyes and tried to calm himself before drawing his card. [I can't allow myself to lose], he thought, [if I lose this Duel, I'll be out of the tournament, and I won't be able to complete my duties as Yi Gai Dai Jun! I must win...]. He looked at the card he had drawn and grinned, [now that's more like it], "I play Change of Heart, allowing me to take control of your Stuffed Animal!" The half angelic, half-demonic apparition appeared in the air above the field before melding into Rebecca's one remaining monster and causing it to walk over to Giyan's side of the field. "I then sacrifice it to summon my Chaos Command Magician (2400/1900)!" A green- armored mage took the place of the stuffed bear, the ruby set in his staff glowing with power. "Chaos Command Magician, attack directly!" The mage raised his staff and fired a blast of red magic at Rebecca, who threw up her arms (nearly dropping her bear) to shield herself from the blast.  
  
Rebecca: 1600 Giyan: 900  
  
Rebecca frowned as she drew her card, "How dare you kill my Stuffed Animal for that ugly Magician! You big meany!" Giyan's jaw, for the first time in his life, dropped. Now that just wasn't fair! "I play this monster in defense mode, plus a card facedown!" Both cards appeared in front of Rebecca, and her hand was left empty.  
  
Giyan grinned at the card he had drawn. With this he could immediately win the Duel! "I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman (1700/1000)," he declared as he placed the card down, "Neo, attack her defense monster!" Before Neo's blade could make contact with the horizontal card, Rebecca acted.  
  
"I activate Waboku, preventing all damage to me and my monsters for this turn!" Three blue-robed priestesses appeared before her, causing Neo to stop his attack. Giyan frowned as he ended his turn. Rebecca, on the other hand, grinned as she drew her card, "I sacrifice my facedown monster to summon Shadow Ghoul (1600/1300)!" A green zombie that seemed to belong in a sci-fi show appeared. A spectator might describe it as a green insectoid space zombie from Pluto. Naturally, this is quite inaccuracy. There is no life on Pluto, because, you see, it is too cold to support life, my good human-I mean, friend. "Shadow Ghoul gets a hundred extra attack points for every monster in my graveyard. Right now that means 800 after all the monster I discarded for Final Destiny and Graceful Charity. So now my adorable Ghoul has 2400 attack points!" She pointed her finger sharply at Neo and ordered her zombie, "Shadow Ghoul, destroy Neo the Magic Swordsman!" The green zombie lumbered after the armored mage and struck him with a tremendous claw, obliterating him.  
  
Rebecca: 1600 Giyan: 200  
  
"An excellent strategy, Rebecca," Giyan complimented, "however, you have now forced us into a stalemate. Both of us have monsters with 2400 attack points, and neither of us wants to attack. So I'll just take this opportunity to play Dian Keto the Cure Master, which gives me 1000 Life Points." An orb of light appeared in front of Giyan, basking him in white light and boosting his Life Points.  
  
Rebecca: 1600 Giyan: 1200  
  
"Just because you got a few more Life Points doesn't mean you're any closer to winning," said Rebecca as she drew, "it just means that you'll last a little bit longer. I summon a monster in defense mode and end my turn."  
  
Giyan looked at the card she had set and came to the horrible realization that he couldn't attack it. If he did destroy it, he would give Rebecca's Shadow Ghoul just enough power to destroy his Chaos Command Magician. He grimaced and hoped that the card he drew would help. "I set this monster in defense mode," he said as he laid the horizontal card on the field, "and that's all."  
  
Rebecca grinned as she drew, "Then it's time I show you the card that's going to win me this duel!" She slid her two monsters off the field and into her graveyard before setting a monster on the field. The hologram that appeared before Giyan was at first just a blur of scrambled pixels, but within seconds they took the form of a tremendous white-scaled dragon with eyes of sapphire. It opened its great wings and let out a challenging roar. Several onlookers gasped and Giyan's eyes widened as they were exposed to, "The Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500)!" Rebecca smiled as her most powerful monster appeared on the field, its image fuzzy due to the fact that Kaiba had ripped in half some time ago. "Blue Eyes White Dragon, destroy his Chaos Command Magician with White Lightning!" The mighty dragon launched a blast of lightning from its maw, blowing the mage in front of Giyan to pieces.  
  
Rebecca: 1600 Giyan: 600  
  
"You might as well give up," Rebecca told Giyan," there's no way you can beat the Blue Eyes White Dragon. Not only does it have an unbelievable attack power, but it also represents a great lesson that Yugi taught me."  
  
"Yugi?" Giyan muttered silently.  
  
"Yugi taught me about the Heart of the Cards after we dueled," explained Rebecca, "he taught me that if you believe in your deck and your friends, then you can never be beaten. Since that day, I haven't lost a single Duel."  
  
Giyan thought to himself silently. [Faith in one's friends as well as oneself . . .], he smiled, [so simple, yet so important in the road of life. Yet I myself forgot that lesson in my sense of duty. It is with this faith that I shall complete my mission, and win this Duel. Yamato, Lin, Kirbin, Term . . . I thank you for being with me on our journey.] He looked up, "Your story speaks of a valuable lesson, Rebecca," he said, "but I too believe in my friends and my deck. So let's find out what happens when two people who believe in the Heart of the Cards duel each other." He flipped the top card off of his deck, "I play Hand Rebirth! This Spell forces us to discard our current hands and draw five cards each!" He placed all of the cards in his hand into his graveyard, then he and Rebecca took the top five cards off their respective decks. Giyan grinned as he examined his new cards, "I now play Monster Reborn, reviving my Dark Blade." The black knight reappeared in front of Giyan, its twin swords raised high. "Next I flip Spear Cretin (500/500) into attack mode, and sacrifice him for the Summoned Skull (2500/1200)!"  
  
A small man with bat wings on his back and wielding a spear replaced the horizontal card on Giyan's field, but was then replaced by the skeletal demon. Giyan then took a card from his graveyard and placed it on his field in defense mode. "Allow me to explain," he said, "when Spear Cretin is flipped and destroyed, we are both allowed to summon a monster in facedown defense mode from our respective graveyards." Rebecca nodded and copied Giyan's previous movement by searching her graveyard and placing a monster on the field.  
  
"I don't see what you plan to do now," she said, "you have three monsters on the field, but all of them are weaker than my Blue Eyes White Dragon. You still don't stand a chance."  
  
Giyan grinned, "I beg to differ. Now one card is going to win me this Duel. Specifically, the Spell card United We Stand!" An aura of power appeared around the Summoned Skull, and a strand of energy also connected it to the Dark Blade. "United We Stand gives my Summoned Skull 800 attack points for every face-up monster on my side of the field. So now I flip up Neo the Magic Swordsman, which will give the Summoned Skull a grand total of 4900 attack points!" Neo replaced the horizontal card, and a strand of energy connected it to the skull demon, which now glowed with awesome strength. "Now to finish this! Summoned Skull, use the might of your comrades and destroy the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The Skull gathered the energy of itself and the other two monsters into its claws, gathering the power into a ball. It then released the ball at the Blue Eyes White Dragon, which bellowed as it was struck, then vanished with a tremendous explosion.  
  
Rebecca: 0 Giyan: 600  
  
A cheer rose from the crowd around them that had grown with the appearance of the legendary dragon. Rebecca looked quite upset as she approached Giyan with the Blue Eyes and her two chips. Upon seeing her mood, Giyan immediately denied the dragon. "I don't think I should have that dragon," he explained, "you just got knocked out of the tournament, I'm not about to demand any other prize. Besides, it's yours because your grandfather had it. I won't be the one to take away a family heirloom."  
  
"Well then, take my Shadow Ghoul," Rebecca pressed as she offered the card.  
  
"Look, I can't take any of your cards," said Giyan, "if you were someone else, I might accept one of your cards, but you are connected to every one of them in a special way. Now, if you had a card that you won in the tournament-"  
  
Rebecca smiled and handed him another card, "The Swords of Revealing Light," Giyan read as he took it, "who'd you get this from?"  
  
"I won it in the tournament," she said simply, "beat some guy with the worst Exodia deck imaginable. He called himself 'Rare Hunter'."  
  
Giyan smiled back at Rebecca in thanks, and heard the elevator ring as it reached the ground floor. He turned to see Kirbin and Joy walk out through the twin doors. When Kirbin spotted Giyan, the pink-haired teen ran over to him and held out three cards. "These are yours," he said simply, "I know you have to get going, so go." He then walked off, and Giyan looked over the three cards.  
  
[Lord of Light, Duke of Darkness, Warrior of Balance], he mentally read as he made his way into the elevator. He saw not effects on the cards, but words flashed through his mind as the doors closed and he read was not written there, [Such power]. He shuffled the first two monsters into his deck and placed the third into a small slot in his Duel Disk for his Fusion monsters, then waited as the elevator ascended. Soon, the most important even in his life would occur.  
  
G.O.T. Nick: And so Giyan is revealed to be the rightful owner of the three cards that summon the Warrior of Balance! What is their significance? What is the duty that he constantly thinks of? What does the alternate title say? Wh- is jumped on by the REAL G.O.T. Nick, who beats the double to a pulp, drags him to a cell, and throws him in  
  
Real G.O.T. Nick: Sorry, evil clone got out again. Anyways, the chapter's over, but I have an important announcement! After two more chapters, I'll begin writing the finals! I figure I have twenty-two more chapters to write before I finish this baby up and start writing the sequel. I'll work like sixty to put up the next twenty chapters and hopefully get them up before by one-year anniversary on ff.net. It's a long shot, but hey, it took me just a week to post this chapter. Anyways, until next time, review and READ MY OTHER STORIES! 


	16. Doubled Fate

Okay, it has recently become apparent to me that no one can remember my OCs. If this is a problem for you, then stop complaining to me about it in your reviews and look back at the previous chapters.  
  
Review responses!  
  
thegymrat: No, my clone is not THAT kind of clone. If it were, then it would be very sad that I had to beat the crap out of him five times a day.  
  
Time Mage: FURBIES! NO! –Whips out flamethrower-DIE! FUZZBALLS!  
  
Yoshimo: If that title annoyed you, then you might be able to figure out the language it was in during this chapter.  
  
Note: Jerry Simmons is an original character submitted by DaBlAcKmAnInReD.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter 16-Doubled Fate  
Also Entitled: Ming Yuan  
  
Giyan examined the Warrior of Balance. It appeared to have no effect, but he could still see something on the purple card. It was as though he were remembering something that had occurred recently and he was recounting the exact details of the event. Images flashed in his mind as he stared at the card. He knew it would play a large role for what lay ahead of him.  
  
-...Floor 1...-  
  
Tea, Yamato, Lin, and Term searched the area in a rather hurried fashion that occurs way too often in the show. However, being that Yugi, Joey, and Bakura had vanished and were most likely in grave danger, the situation called for such an act. However, one obstacle would now impede their progress.  
  
"Hey!" a man said as he appeared in front of them, "I can't believe this! I come here to duel, and everyone's running around doing something else! How am I supposed to get to the finals if I can't duel anyone!?" This ranting went on for who knows how long before he concluded, "I'm dueling one of you right here, right now!"  
  
"Sorry, but we're kind of in a hurry," said Tea, trying to walk past the man.  
  
Term acted much less patiently as he grabbed the man by the collar and yelled, "GET OUT OF OUR WAY RIGHT NOW!" into his face.  
  
Yamato stepped up to Term, calmly grabbed him in one hand and the man in the other, and pried them apart. He then set the two down, pushed Term away, and spoke to the man, "I shall duel you."  
  
Lin muttered worriedly, "We don't have time for this..."  
  
Yamato turned to the other three, "You go ahead and keep looking for the others, I'll catch up later." He then turned to the man, "My name is Yamato."  
  
"And I am Mask," the man replied as he activated the Duel Disk, "and this will be my victory."  
  
"We'll see," said Yamato as Tea, Term, and Lin ran off to find their friends.  
  
-...A short ways away from the elevators, on the first floor...-  
  
"Where are they?" said Kirbin as he scanned the area.  
  
"It's a big hotel," commented Joy, "they could be anywhere."  
  
"I hope we find them soon," Kirbin muttered, "something tells me they'll be in trouble soon."  
  
"I'd worry more about YOU being in trouble," someone said from behind him.  
  
Kirbin and Joy snapped their necks to look behind their shoulders, where they saw two twins with brown hair smirking back. One had his Duel Disk on his right arm, the other on his left.  
  
"We challenge you both to a Duel!" said the one with the DD2 on his right arm.  
  
"A Double Duel, to be exact," said his twin.  
  
"Who are you?" demanded Joy.  
  
"We are Leif," said the left-handed duelist.  
  
"And Rick, the unbeatable tag-team!" said the other.  
  
"To make this Duel interesting, we'll raise the wagers-"  
  
"-To include more than just the rarest cards of both duelists."  
  
"The losers will forfeit their souls-"  
  
"-And spend their lives in the Shadow Realm."  
  
Kirbin stepped protectively in front of Joy, "She doesn't have any chips, she won't be able to duel!"  
  
"That will make it all the more easier-" began Leif.  
  
"-For us to defeat you," concluded Rick.  
  
"Not necessarily," argued Kirbin, as his physical form began to waver. He then split into two individual bodies, each of which began to take on different physical characteristics. One had orange and yellow hair that was combed back. He wore a red t-shirt and black jeans. The other had dirty brown hair and wore a brown jacket and pants.  
  
"Now you'll face us both," said the one in red, "I am Burn."  
  
"And I am Stone," said the other, "now let's duel."  
  
"A rather interesting Shadow Game," said Leif as the four activated their Duel Disks.  
  
"Twins versus essences occupying the same body," finished Rick, "let's get started."  
  
-...The roof...-  
  
Giyan heard the elevator bell ring as it reached the top of the building. Taking a breath as the twin metal doors opened, he stepped out onto the roof, which was partially covered by storm clouds. In the middle of the roof, standing in a beam of sunlight, stood a man with white hair and robes. Giyan stepped up to the man and addressed him, "Hello, Luke."  
  
"Good to see you, Giyan," replied the man as he held out his hand, which Giyan accepted in a shake.  
  
"Where is Drake?" Giyan inquired.  
  
"Right here, Yian Gyn," said a man as he appeared suddenly. He had pale skin, wild black hair and was coated in black leather.  
  
"I no longer go by that name," said Giyan as he turned to Drake.  
  
"Perhaps," said Drake as he grinned maliciously, "but you did when you helped to spread the darkness and evil of the Dark Lord's uprising."  
  
"I was only following my duty as Yi Gai Dai Jun," snapped Giyan angrily, "as I am now. Then, goodness was dominant, and I had to bring about the balance of Yin and Yang. But now evil plots to throw off balance, and I must fight it."  
  
"It does not matter," replied Drake, "I am free to call you as I wish, even if your duty as He Who Brings Balance now works against the darkness."  
  
"I shall make you regret saying that," growled Giyan, "now let us begin."  
  
"Yes, let us," replied Drake, "and Luke, I expect you to not hold back whilst we duel Yian Gyn. It would not be fair."  
  
The three activated their Duel Disks, Luke and Drake standing opposite Giyan. The Battle For Balance was about to begin.  
  
-...Somewhere in the hotel...-  
  
Joey and Serenity made their way to the hotels, both remaining silent after Joey's avoiding death. But the silence would not last long. Before the two, a pair of men suddenly appeared. One was garbed in white robes and a turban. The other had black robes with golden lining on. Both had tan skin. "Oh crap," muttered Joey as he mentally predicted what was going to happen next.  
  
"We congratulate you on your comeback victory over our colleague," said the one in white, "however, our master has requested that we make sure that you do not live to tell the tale to anyone else."  
  
"Yes," agreed the one in black, "and that is why we challenge you both to a Double-Duel, in which the losers shall give up their souls to the Shadow Realm."  
  
"No way!" cried Joey as he pushed Serenity behind him, "She's not experienced enough for this, I won't put her in danger."  
  
"Then we'll change the challenge slightly," said the one in white simply, "what do you think, Kreva?"  
  
"Well, Fang," replied Kreva, "I think a two-on-one should serve nicely."  
  
Joey grimaced. If he lost, he and his sister would both die. But it wasn't as if he had a choice. He opened his mouth to accept the challenge when he was interrupted.  
  
"I'll be his partner," Joey snapped his head to see-  
  
"Mai!" he cried.  
  
Yes, the blonde, leather-booted teen stood, Duel Disk at the ready. "I'm not about to let one of the few people who've ever defeated me get the snot beaten out of him in a completely unfair duel. I'll be his partner and we'll crush you both."  
  
"That's fine with me," said Fang, "it will just get us another soul."  
  
"There is no way we can lose," added Kreva, "both of us are undefeatable apart, let alone together." Four Duel Disks activated, and the Double Duel began.  
  
-...Bottom floor...-  
  
It was unfortunate that Tea, Yamato, Term, and Lin that they had not remained where the group had been separated for very long, as about five minutes after they had left, Yugi and Bakura appeared in that exact spot. It was immediately decided that they begin looking for the others, as they knew that Joey might need help apprehending the thief who had taken his KS. However, soon afterward the author, with every intention of setting up a Double Duel, caused two brothers to sight the pair.  
  
"Yugi!" shouted Mokuba Kaiba as he came running through the crowd towards the two. Behind him, his older brother, Seto Kaiba, pushed his way through the crowd of duelists to catch up with his younger sibling.  
  
Kaiba scowled slightly as he watched Mokuba, Yugi, and Bakura exchange greetings. While he had grown to appreciate Yugi as a powerful ally in times, he still considered Yugi an enemy in the tournament. However, he and Yugi would now have to become allies again...  
  
"Yugi Moto?" asked a girl suddenly. Yugi turned his attention to her and saw that her hair was, strangely, purple. She was dressed in black and purple. Next to her was a man about six feet tall who wore all black. The girl stepped forward, "I am Veli, and this is Jerry. WE would both like to duel you."  
  
"A Double Duel?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Precisely," answered Jerry.  
  
"But I don't have a partner," explained Yugi, "Bakura's out of chips."  
  
"Then we'll both duel you together," said Veli as she and Jerry activated their Duel Disks.  
  
Kaiba stepped forward, "It would be unfair for anyone to have to face two opponents at once. I will be Yugi's partner." Yugi looked surprised at Kaiba's volunteer. Kaiba looked back at Yugi and said simply, "I just want to make sure you make it to the finals so that we can duel."  
  
"Then it's settled," said Jerry, "me and Veli against you two. Let's duel!"  
  
-...Elsewhere on the first floor...-  
  
Mask: 4000 Yamato: 4000  
  
Mask and Yamato drew their opening hands. Then Mask drew an additional card and added it to his hand as he took the first move of the Duel. "I play two cards facedown," he stated as he placed two of his cards into the Spell/Trap slots of his Duel Disk, "as well as a monster in defense mode." The three cards appeared in front of Mask, one perpendicular to the other two. "That's all for now, your move."  
  
Yamato drew a sixth card before making his move, "I summon the Little Swordsman of Aile (800/1300)." A small, child-like person in brown robes and sitting on the back of a large green lizard appeared. He held a small sword with an S-shaped blade in his right hand. "Then, to power up my Swordsman, I equip him with the Axe of Despair, which will increase his attack power by 1000." A large axe that seemed to emit dark energy replaced the sword in the small warrior's hand. "Now, Little Swordsman of Aile (1800/1300)," continued Yamato, "attack his facedown monster." The swordsman's reptilian mount bounded at Mask's facedown card, and the swordsman swung its axe down on it.  
  
Before the axe made contact with the card, Mask acted, "I activate Mask of Weakness!" One of Mask's facedown cards flipped up, and a mask that gave the image of an old man latched itself on the swordsman's face. As the axe came down on the card, it was replaced by a man in purple robes wearing a mask of steel. The man warded off the axe and shoved the swordsman back.  
  
Mask: 4000 Yamato: 3700  
  
"Allow me to explain," said Mask, "you see, when I activated Mask of Weakness, your swordsman lost 700 attack points. Don't worry, though, it will only last for one turn. Unfortunately for you, my Masked Sorceror (900/1400) has more than enough defense points to block your swordsman's assault. Also, not only do you take the damage, but I get to draw a card from the Masked Swordsman's effect." He took the top card off of his deck and added it to his hand.  
  
Yamato selected one more card from his hand and set it next to the Axe of Despair on his Duel Disk, "I set a card facedown before ending my turn."  
  
"Very well," conceded Mask as he drew another card, "now I shall summon the Grand Tiki Elder (1500/800)." A strange, blue, semi-humanoid creature wearing a purple mask appeared in front of him before he continued, "I then equip the Grand Tiki Elder with the Mask of Brutality, which will increase his attack by 1000 points at a cost of 1000 defense points! Now, Grand Tiki Elder, attack the Little Swordsman of Aile!" A blue, demonic mask appeared of the Elder's old one. The mask had yellow claws instead of eyes. Then the Grand Tiki Elder (2500/0) swooped down on the swordsman and threw a punch-  
  
"I activate Scapegoat," said Yamato as his facedown card flipped up and four fur-balls with hooves and horns appeared behind the Little Swordsman of Aile, "I am allowed to tribute monsters to the Little Swordsman of Aile to raise its attack by 700 points for each one sacrificed."  
  
"Little good that will do you," said Mask as he flipped his own facedown card up, "because I activate the Mask of Restrict, which will keep both of us from tributing monsters for as long as it remains on the field. That means you have nothing to power up your swordsman!" The Grand Tiki Elder completed its punch, and the Little Swordsman of Aile shattered. "Now, I'll have my Masked Sorcerer to attack as well!" The Masked Sorcerer launched a blast of energy at one of the Scapegoats, destroying it.  
  
Mask: 4000 Yamato: 3000  
  
-...Near the elevators...-  
  
Leif: 4000 Rick: 4000 Burn: 4000 Stone: 4000  
  
"I'll get this duel started," declared Leif as he drew his sixth card, "and simply summon my Warrior Dai Grepher (1700/1000)." A pale-skinned, muscular man with black hair and wielding a large broadsword appeared. A blue aura seemed to surround him.  
  
"I'll take this move," said Burn as he drew a card, "and now I'll make you feel the burn! First, I play Tremendous Fire, paying 500 Life Points to deal you 1000 in return!" A large flame burst up between Burn and Leif, and Burn got a little burnt while Leif was bathed in flames. "Next, I'll play Final Flame, which will deal you another 600 damage!" flame suddenly covered Leif's body, and he cried in agony as parts of his skin were reduced to cinders. "To finish," continued Burn, "I'll just play a monster in defense mode and end my turn." The facedown card appeared just in front of him, and Rick drew a card.  
  
Leif: 2600 Rick: 4000 Burn: 3500 Stone: 4000  
  
Rick set a card down on his Duel Disk, "I shall also play a monster in defense mode, but that's not all." He then placed a card in one of the Spell/Trap slots, "I also play Polymerization, fusing my brother's Warrior Dai Grepher with the Spirit Ryu in my hand to create the Ryu Senshi (2000/1200)!" A transparent, purple dragon appeared directly behind the Warrior Dai Grepher and melded into its back. The Warrior became covered by purple armor and it skin became yellow. "I end my turn," finished Rick.  
  
Stone drew his card silently and placed his cards on the field, "I set one monster in defense mode as well. Then I play Fissure, which will destroy Ryu Senshi." A horizontal card appeared in front of him, and a crevasse in the earth opened underneath the Ryu Senshi momentarily before disappearing.  
  
"Allow us to explain," said Leif.  
  
"When Ryu Senshi is specifically targeted by a Spell card, that card is negated," continued Rick.  
  
"Therefore, Fissure became useless."  
  
"And our monster was unharmed."  
  
Stone simply frowned momentarily, then passed the turn on to Leif.  
  
-...The roof...-  
  
Luke: 4000 Drake: 4000 Giyan: 4000  
  
"I shall begin this duel," declared Luke as he drew a sixth card, "by playing a monster in defense mode and two cards facedown." The three cards appeared before him, and Giyan drew a sixth card.  
  
"I can easily destroy your defense," he said, "by playing the Dark Hole! Now every monster on the field will be sucked into oblivion!" A tear in the space-time continuum appeared in the center of the field, and Luke's facedown monster was drawn into it rapidly before it closed. However, a second tear appeared, this one colored white, and the facedown card appeared in front of Luke again. "What happened?" Giyan asked in confusion.  
  
"I simply activated my Trap," explained Luke, "the White Hole prevents my monsters from being destroyed by Dark Hole, meaning you wasted that card."  
  
Giyan growled and selected another card from his hand, but Luke stopped him, "I know that you have a powerful monster in your hand, so I activate the Light Force Sword!" Luke's one remaining Trap card flipped up and a sword soared out of it, piercing the card Giyan had his hand on. The sword then carried the card several feet out of Giyan's hand, and it was revealed to be the Duke of Darkness. "That card shall remain removed from play for the next four of your turns." Giyan grimaced and continued his turn.  
  
"I summon Shining Abyss (1600/1800) and place a card facedown," he said as a strange, bulbous, white creature appeared as well as a facedown card behind it. "Shining Abyss, attack!" The bulbous monster gathered energy in its metallic palms, then launched the energy at the facedown card, revealing it to be a man with blue and orange robes. The man pointed his finger at the Shining Abyss, and waves of light emitted from it. As the light and energy met, the energy launched by the Shining Abyss dissipated, and the waves of light continued on their path, striking Giyan.  
  
Luke: 4000 Drake: 4000 Giyan: 3600  
  
"Say hello to my Banisher of the Light (100/2000)," said Luke, "not only does he have enough power to resist your monster's attack, but as long as he remains on the field, all monsters sent to the graveyard will instead be removed from the game."  
  
Giyan felt sweat beginning to form on his brow as Drake drew a card and played out his turn, "I play three cards facedown and a monster in defense mode." The four cards appeared in front of him, and Drake passed the turn back to Giyan.  
  
Giyan eyed the four cards warily. He did not know what any of them could be, but he had to attack soon. He had to be reckless. "I summon Neo, the Magic Swordsman (1700/1000)," he declared as he slapped the monster onto his Duel Disk and the blonde, armored spell-caster appeared next to Shining abyss. "Neo, attack his monster!" Neo's blade, glowing a dim blue, swept through the air and struck the card, revealing it to be a red tomato with an evil face before it was cut in half.  
  
"By destroying my Mystic Tomato (1400/1000)," explained Drake, "you have just allowed me to summon another weak Dark monster in its place. Behold Saggi the Dark Clown (800/1300)!" A clown dressed in purple appeared. Its face was white with blue moon and yellow star decorations. Drake then proceeded to activate one of his facedown cards, "Now that I have a Dark monster with under 1000 attack points on the field, I can sacrifice it to activate this: The Deck Destruction Virus-CRUSH Card!" Immediately Saggi disappeared, and Neo and Shining Abyss began to groan in pain before vanishing as well. "This destroys every monster in your hand and field with over 1500 attack," explained Drake, "not only that, but any monster you draw for the next three turns with over 1500 attack will be destroyed as well." Giyan grimaced as he discarded another monster from his hand. Thanks to Banisher of the Light, he had permanently lost the cards. He could only hope that the oncoming assault from Luke would be survivable.  
  
-...Somewhere in the hotel...-  
  
Fang: 4000 Kreva: 4000 Joey: 4000 Mai: 4000  
  
"You are quite bold, Miss Valentine," said Fang as he drew, "giving up your life in a hopeless attempt to save another. Too bad it will all be to waste. I shall begin the Duel by placing a monster in defense mode and another card facedown as well." One horizontal card appeared in front of him, and then another card appeared behind it.  
  
Joey cocked an eyebrow. Fang had simply played two cards, a rather simple move, especially after all his boasting. Joey drew his card as he started his own turn, "I'll place three cards facedown, and then summon Blue Flame Swordsman (1800/1600) in attack mode!" A monster very much like the Flame Swordsman appeared in front of Joey, but its armor as well as its sword was blue instead of orange. Three cards appeared behind it as well.  
  
Kreva then took his own turn, smiling at the cards in his hand before placing some on his Duel Disk, "I'll just play a card facedown and a monster in defense mode."  
  
Joey began to worry. If these two were happy just with two cards out on the first turn, then there would definitely be trouble later on. Mai drew a sixth card and added it to her hand as she announced, "I'll place these two cards facedown, and then summon a monster in defense mode."  
  
The three cards appeared before Mai, and Fang grinned as he prepared to draw, "Now it's time to really begin!"  
  
-...The Ground Floor...-  
  
Veli: 4000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 4000 Yugi: 4000  
  
"I'll start this Duel off," called Veli as she drew six cards from the top of her deck while the others drew five each. "I play five cards facedown and a monster in defense mode," as she said so, she placed all five cards on her Duel Disk, and five cards appeared before her.  
  
Kaiba then drew a card, knowing that Veli could do nothing else, "Go ahead and play as many defense cards as you want, but I'll just break right through them. I play Enraged Battle Ox (1700/1000) in attack mode!" A large Minotaur appeared, its eyes blood red as it clutched its axe in an iron grip. Suddenly, a hole appeared under it and it fell, never to be seen again.  
  
"Trap Hole," Veli said matter-of-factly.  
  
Kaiba sneered, "Before I end my turn, I'll place this card facedown."  
  
Jerry drew his card, "I play Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three cards from my deck, then discard two from my hand."  
  
"We know what it does," said Kaiba coldly.  
  
"Of course," said Jerry as he drew and then discarded, "now I play Painful Choice, letting me choose five cards from my deck." He flipped through his deck until he had chosen the five cards, then slipped the deck back into his Duel Disk and showed the five cards to Kaiba. Kaiba saw three La Jinns and two Sangans. Kaiba selected one Sangan, and the other four monsters went to Jerry's graveyard. Jerry then summoned a monster in defense mode and passed the turn to Yugi.  
  
"I'll just play a card facedown and a monster in defense mode," said Yugi as the two cards appeared before him, "and that's all."  
  
"Then I activate Curse of Fiend!" said Veli, I'll just play a card facedown and a monster in defense mode," said Yugi as the two cards appeared before him, "and that's all."  
  
"Then I activate Curse of Fiend!" said Veli, "This card forces all monsters on the field to switch their battle positions." Veli's own facedown card flipped up, revealing the Big Eye (1200/1000), an orange-skinned being covered in large eyes. Jerry's monster was revealed to be the Sangan. Yugi's monster was the Queen's Knight (1500/1600), a woman with long blonde hair who was in red armor armed with a sword and shield. "Because Big Eye has been flipped," said Veli, "I am allowed to sort the top five cards of my deck in any order I wish." She slipped the five cards off of her deck and grinned as she reorganized them and placed them back on her deck. Then, she drew...  
  
-...Elsewhere on the first floor...-  
  
Yamato drew as he stared past Mask's two monsters to he himself. He then bowed his head to look at the card he had drawn before placing it on one of the monster slots of his Duel Disk, "I play the Cyber Raider (1400/1000) in attack mode." A humanoid robot with a blue body and a head shaped like a claw appeared in front of Yamato as he explained, "The Cyber Raider has the ability to equip itself with one equip card on the field, so now it will take control of your Mask of Brutality." The Mask of Brutality detached from the Grand Tiki Elder's (1500/800) face and floated over to the Cyber Raider (2400/0), who put it on. "Cyber Raider, destroy his Grand Tiki Elder," at Yamato's command, the powered up Cyber Raider dashed at the masked monster and delivered a crushing blow with its mechanical fist, destroying the Elder.  
  
Mask: 3100 Yamato: 3000  
  
"That's my card! How dare you use it!" cried Mask in outrage as he drew. "No matter, let's see just how much I can hurt you with the cards I draw from Pot of Greed!" he placed the Spell card into his graveyard and then drew his two cards. Upon seeing them, he grinned and played one, "Since you like using my cards so much, have two more of them. I equip your Cyber Raider with Mask of the Accursed!" A green torture mask appeared on top of the Cyber Raider's first mask, and the Machine clutched at it in an attempt to pull it off. "The Mask of the Accursed will keep your Cyber Raider from attacking while dealing you 500 points of damage during each of my turns. In the mean time, I'll have my Masked Sorcerer in defense mode." The sorcerer crouched down in a defensive position, and Yamato drew a card.  
  
Mask: 3100 Yamato: 2000  
  
"I play a monster in defense mode, and end my turn," declared Yamato as the single horizontal card appeared before him.  
  
"Then it's my turn," said Mask as he drew while grinning.  
  
Mask: 3100 Yamato: 1500  
  
"I'll just end my turn without playing anything," said Mask, and his grin widened as Yamato drew again. Just one more turn, and Yamato would lose.  
  
Mask: 3100 Yamato: 500  
  
-...Near the elevators...-  
  
"Our monster is immune to your Spells..." said Rick.  
  
"...but that's not the only one you'll have to worry about now," added Leif, "I flip and sacrifice my brother's facedown monster." As he said so, Rick's defense monster was revealed to be a man in armor carrying a large sack of tools on his back.  
  
"The monster is Supply (1300/800)," explained Rick to Burn and Stone, "and now I am allowed to select two monsters in the graveyard that have been fused and add them to my hand." Leif plucked Warrior Dai Grepher from his graveyard and tossed it to Rick, who caught it and added it as well as the Spirit Ryu in his graveyard to his hand.  
  
"And now Supply will be sacrificed," said Leif as Supply disappeared, "and Lesser Fiend (2100/1000)." A yellow, demonic creature with four arms appeared in front of Leif, and it growled as its eyes flashed red. "Lesser Fiend, destroy Stone's facedown monster!" cried Leif. Lesser Fiend responded by gathering energy in its four arms and releasing it at the facedown card, which was revealed to be the Giant Soldier of Stone temporarily before it exploded into rubble. Stone, Burn, and Joy shielded their eyes as shards of rock flew from the point of impact. Leif signaled to Burn that it was his turn.  
  
Burn drew his card before he announced, "I summon Blazing Inpachi (1850/0) in attack mode!" A large robot made of wood that had been set aflame appeared next to his facedown card. "Next, I flip Lady Assailant of Flames (1500/1000), whose effect allows me to remove the top three cards of my deck from play to deal my opponent 800 points of damage." A woman dressed in blue garbs appeared, and she launched a stream of fire at Leif, whose shirt was set on fire before he quickly beat it out.  
  
Leif: 1600 Rick: 4000 Burn: 3500 Stone: 4000  
  
"You've put out such weak monsters," stated Leif.  
  
"Our creatures will easily destroy them," added Rick.  
  
"That's what you think," said Burn, "because now I'll play the field card Molten Destruction, which will increase all Fire monsters' attack by 500 while lowering their defense by 400." A volcano appeared in the middle of the field, smoke emitting from its mouth while lava flowed down its sides and fire flew through the air. Joy cried in panic as she tried to avoid the lava, eventually jumping behind Burn, because the lava seemed to avoid the four duelists. Meanwhile, Blazing Inpachi (2350/0) and Lady Assailant of Flames (2000/600) received power boosts. "Now then," said Burn, "Blazing Inpachi, destroy Leif's Lesser Fiend!" The burning wooden robot trumped over to the demon, flailing one burning arm to strike it.  
  
"Ryu Senshi, defend the Lesser Fiend!" cried Rick. His dragon-armored warrior leapt in Blazing Inpachi's path, taking the tree's blow to the chest and being destroyed.  
  
Leif: 1600 Rick: 3650 Burn: 3500 Stone: 4000  
  
Burn frowned as he saw his attack blocked, and silently passed control to Rick, who grinned at the card he drew. "The first thing I'll do is regain my Ryu Senshi by playing a second Polymerization, which will fuse the monsters in my hand to form a new one." A second Ryu Senshi appeared before Rick, wielding its sword menacingly with a look of vengeance in its eyes. "Next, I'll play the Cave Dragon (2000/100) as well as the Fusion Gate!" The same Fusion Gate that Lin had faced before now appeared in the middle of the field, destroying the Volcano in the center and taking away Fire monsters' power boosts. A turtle-shaped dragon that seemed to have been carved from rock also appeared before Rick.  
  
"Lesser Fiend," said Leif.  
  
"Cave Dragon," continued Rick.  
  
"Leap into the Fusion Gate!" they cried together as their monsters jumped into the gate and fused together. A four-armed dragon with a skull for a head then emerged from the gate.  
  
"Now we have formed the Fiend Skull Dragon (2000/1200)," said Rick, "who will now destroy your pathetic Blazing Inpachi!" The Fiend Skull Dragon launched a burst of dark energy from its mouth at the burning machine, causing it to explode and launch burning cinders in every direction, some striking Burn.  
  
Leif: 1600 Rick: 3650 Burn: 3350 Stone: 4000  
  
Stone drew a card and immediately played it, "I play Card Destruction, forcing us all to discard our hands and draw new ones of the same amount." The four of them did so, with the author describing such event in the plainest way possible. "Next I'll set two cards facedown, and remove one of my Earth monsters from my graveyard to Special Summon the Rock Spirit (1700/1000) in attack mode." The two facedown cards appeared before him, and a humanoid creature of rock wearing samurai armor appeared in a battle position as well. Burn looked bewildered by his friend's move, leaving a monster in attack mode with two obvious Traps behind it. He hoped whatever Stone had planned would work...  
  
-...The roof...-  
  
"I sacrifice my Banisher of the Light to summon the Chaos Command Magi-" began Luke before he was cut off.  
  
"I activate Trap Hole," Giyan cried as a wave of relief swept over him. The mage replaced the robed man temporarily before falling down a pit trap. Luke silently passed the turn to Giyan, who drew and was rewarded as he placed the card on the field, "And now I'll b protected for the next three turns by this: Swords of Revealing Light!" Twenty swords of light formed a barrier between Giyan and his opponents, and Drake snarled in frustration.  
  
"Well," said Drake, "you obviously have nothing else to do, so I'll summon Opticlops (1800/1700)!" An eight-foot tall red demon with a single eye appeared in front of Drake, giving a roar as it stepped onto the ground. "You still have no chance of drawing a card to defeat us due to the CRUSH Card Virus," stated Drake as he ended his turn, "you're simply delaying the inevitable with your Swords. You'll soon be defeated."  
  
Giyan glared back at Drake as he drew, and smirked at Drake as he showed him the card, "Well, let's see what I get with the Pot of Greed." He smiled at the two extra cards he had drawn and placed both in his Duel Disk, "I play Dian Keto the Cure Master and a monster in defense mode." A rotund man with green hair appeared and waved his glowing arms over Giyan, whose Life Points increased. A facedown monster then appeared in front of Giyan as well.  
  
Luke: 4000 Drake: 4000 Giyan: 4600  
  
Luke's turn passed eventlessly, and Giyan drew ten seconds after Luke had done so. However, the card he drew was met with disappointment, as it was a monster with over 1500 attack points, and he was forced to discard it as Drake laughed cruelly.  
  
"You see?" said Drake, "Your efforts are useless. There is no way you can win."  
  
"That's what you think," said Giyan, "that turn, Duke of Darkness was added to my hand again. The Light Force Sword wore off, and your Virus only affects the cards I draw."  
  
"You think of that as a victory?" mocked Drake, "Your Duke of Darkness may be strong, but it's nothing compared to this monster. I sacrifice my Opticlops to summon Great Maju Garzett (3600/0), whose attack is equal to twice the attack of the monster sacrificed to summon him!" The Opticlops disappeared, and in its place stood a tremendous red beast. "And that's not all," continued Drake as he played a Spell card, "because I'm also equipping Great Maju Garzett with Megamorph, increasing its attack to 7200!" The beast doubled in size, letting out a roar of power as its eyes blazed. And as Drake ended his turn, the Swords of Revealing Light disappeared...  
  
-...Somewhere in the hotel...-  
  
"Time to really get this duel started," said Fang, "I flip the Cobra Jar (600/300)." A pot emerged from the facedown card and immediately a snake slithered out of it while hissing menacingly. "When Cobra Jar is flipped, I can Special Summon a Snake Token (1200/1200) in defense mode," explained Fang.  
  
"Big deal," taunted Mai, "you summoned a jar and a snake, what good'll they do you?"  
  
Fang scowled as he plucked Cobra Jar off his Duel Disk, "You'll pay for that smart remark," he threatened, "as I sacrifice my Cobra Jar for the stronger Great Dezard (1900/2300)!" The jar disappeared and was immediately replaced by an Egyptian man who wore ornate white robes.  
  
"That's a pathetic move," shot Mai, "you sacrificed for a monster with 1900 attack? You must be pretty new to this game."  
  
Fang snarled and then threw his arm out at Mai, "Great Dezard, show that insolent woman your power by destroying her defense monster!" The Great Dezard mumbled in Egyptian momentarily, then released a blast of magic at Mai's facedown card, revealing it to be a yellow and blue bird before it was destroyed. Fang smiled at his small victory but stopped suddenly as Mai laughed. "What do you find to be so funny?"  
  
"The fact that you just destroyed my Birdface (1600/1600)," she replied, "if you had attacked Joey's Blue Flame Swordsman, he would have probably lost Life Points, but you attacked my defense-positioned Birdface, whose effect allows me to add one Harpie Lady from my deck to my hand."  
  
Fang growled and snapped at Joey, "Take your turn!"  
  
Joey grinned back at Fang and drew, "Soitenly. I play Mad Sword Beast (1400/1200), and have it attack your Snake Token!" The rhinoceros/turtle creature appeared beside the Blue Flame Swordsman and charged at the Snake, trampling it into the ground. "And 'cause of Mad Sword Beast's effect, you'll take damage just as if your snake were in attack mode."  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 4000 Joey: 3500 Mai: 4000  
  
"Hey!" cried Joey in surprise, "How did I lose Life Points?"  
  
"Because of the effect of my Snake Token," explained Kreva, "that's its effect, so it would seem that I come out on top from your attack."  
  
"And now it's my turn," said Kreva as he drew, "so I flip my Gravekeeper's Spy (1200/2000), which allows me to Special Summon any Gravekeeper's monster! So now I can summon Gravekeeper's Curse!" A young woman garbed in black robes appeared, followed by an old, wicked-looking man in the same kind of robes carrying a cane. "When Gravekeeper's Curse is summoned," explained Kreva, "I can deal 500 points of damage to my opponent, so now Mai will take the damage."  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 4000 Joey: 3500 Mai: 3500  
  
"Now," continued Kreva, "I summon Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier (1500/100)." A muscular man in the same robes as Kreva's monster appeared between the two, wielding a decorated spear. "To power up my monsters, I play Necrovalley, increasing all Gravekeeper's monsters' attack and defense by 500 (Gravekeeper's Spy-1700/2500, Gravekeeper's Curse-1300/1300, Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier-2000/1500)!" A setting sun appeared to the west of the field, and the field itself became a desolate wasteland (Cool! I used desolate in the story!). "Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier, attack Mai directly!"  
  
The Spear Soldier charged Mai with its spear held ready, but Joey cut him off, "I have my Blue Flame Swordsman block the attack!" The Blue Flame Swordsman leapt in the Spear Soldier's path, sword held at the ready though it was outmatched. But Joey was prepared to protect the Blue Flame Swordsman as well, "Then I activate Magic Arm Shield!" A strange device appeared on the Blue Flame Swordsman's left arm. It had two suction cups aligned like a claw. The suction cups were launched together at the Great Dezard, whom they latched onto. "This Trap card will stop your attack and redirect it at Great Dezard!" Unfortunately, the Magic Arm Shield suddenly broke apart, much to Joey's surprise.  
  
Fang laughed before explaining, "Great Dezard, after destroying a monster in battle, is immune to all Spell and Trap cards designating him as a target. So you've just wasted your Trap and sacrificed the Blue Flame Swordsman for nothing!" The Spear Soldier plunged its spear into the Blue Flame Swordsman, sending blooding spurting from the wound in its stomach. Serenity covered her mouth in horror as she looked on. However, as the Blue Flame Swordsman fell, it burst into a brilliant blue flame.  
  
"What's happening?" demanded Kreva as he watched the flame turn orange.  
  
"When Blue Flame Swordsman is destroyed," explained Joey, "the Flame Swordsman (1800/1600) is summoned in his place." At his words, the Flame Swordsman materialized from the fire, sword held at the ready.  
  
"That Flame Swordsman may be stronger than either of my monsters," said Kreva, "but your Mad Sword Beast isn't! Gravekeeper's Spy, attack the Mad Sword Beast!" The Spy charged the rhinoceros-like creature, a dagger appearing in her hand.  
  
"I activate Graceful Dice," countered Joey, as an angel appeared from one of his facedown cards and tossed a die, which rolled or a while before landing on a 4. "Alright!" cried Joey in victory as the Mad Sword Beast's attack increased to 1800, "Say goodbye to your Spy!" The Spy was skewered by the Mad Sword Beast's sharp horn, then trampled on in a very gruesome fight. Kreva ended his turn with a frown.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 3900 Joey: 3300 Mai: 3500  
  
"Before I draw, I'll activate Triple Mirror," announced Mai as her facedown card flipped up, "this card lets me summon Harpie Ladies until I have just as many monsters as my opponent, so I get to summon two." The two harpies appeared before her, and Mai drew. "Next, I'll play the Harpie Lady (1300/1400) that went to my hand from Birdface's effect. So now I have a trio of Harpies at my command!" A third Harpie Lady appeared, but Mai still continued her turn, "Now I'll summon another trio of Harpies by playing Elegant Egotist, allowing me to Special Summon the Harpie Lady Sisters (1950/2100)!" A second set of three Harpie Ladies appeared, and Mai ordered an assault, "Harpie Lady Sisters, destroy Gravekeeper's Curse!" The three flew through the air, bringing their talons down on the elderly man's head.  
  
"I discard the Charm of Shabti!" yelled Kreva, "That prevents any of the Gravekeeper's monsters from being destroyed for this turn, though I'll still take damage."  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 3250 Joey: 3300 Mai: 3500  
  
"Now it's my turn," declared Fang as he drew, "so I'll set a monster in defense mode and have Great Dezard attack one of the Harpie Ladies." A facedown monster appeared next to the Great Dezard, who muttered in Egyptian again and launched a blast of magic at one the three Harpie Ladies.  
  
"I activate Suzaku Formation!" countered Mai as her facedown card flipped up and the six Harpies formed in a hexagon formation and then into a great bird of flame. The large bird then batted away the magical blast with one of its wings. "For this turn, my Harpies will be safe from all forms of attack," explained Mai.  
  
"My Great Dezard still gets to attack," said Fang, "so now it will destroy the Mad Sword Beast!" The Great Dezard released another blast of magic, this one causing the rhinoceros-turtle to explode.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 3250 Joey: 2800 Mai: 3500  
  
"Now that my Great Dezard has destroyed two monsters," said Fang, "I can sacrifice him to summon Fushioh Richie (2600/2900)!" The Great Dezard fell to its knees suddenly, his brow beaded with sweat. He then began to act insanely, walking in jittery steps, flailing at the air, and eventually falling to the ground again with his head bowed. When he lifted his head, the skin on his face began to peel away to reveal the skull underneath, and his eyes shrunk to red beads of light. He opened his mouth to scream, and his tongue began to rot away, causing Joey, Mai, and Serenity to nearly hurl. At last, the Great Dezard fully became a skeleton. At a wave of the skeleton's arm, it became garbed in red. A golden rod with a hook at the tip also appeared in its hands. "Now I'll flip Fushioh Richie into defense mode, and end my turn," concluded Fang.  
  
[His Fushioh Richie is freaky AND powerful] thought Joey as he drew, [I'd better find a way to make my monsters stronger... PERFECT!] "I equip my Flame Swordsman with Salamandra, increasing his attack power by 700!" A flame shaped like a serpent appeared, and wrapped itself around the Flame Swordsman's (2500/1600) sword. "Flame Swordsman, attack the Gravekeeper's Curse!" The Flame Swordsman pointed its blade at the elderly man, and the flame leapt out at him, burning him into ash.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 2050 Joey: 2800 Mai: 3500  
  
"Celebrate your minor victory while you can," mocked Kreva, "because it will be the last you'll have in this duel after I sacrifice Gravekeeper's Spear Soldier to summon Gravekeeper's Chief (1900/1200) in attack mode!" The Spear Soldier vanished, only to be replaced by an Egyptian man garbed in white robes and wielding a cobra-headed golden staff. The Chief's power then rose to 2400/1700 due to Necrovalley's effect. "When the Gravekeeper's Chief is summoned, I can summon another Gravekeeper's monster to the field from my graveyard, so say hello to Gravekeeper's Curse again, in defense mode! "Now, Gravekeeper's Chief, destroy the Harpie Lady Sisters!" The Chief's staff emitted golden bursts of energy from its eyes and mouth, striking each of the sisters and destroying them.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 2050 Joey: 2800 Mai: 2550  
  
-...Ground floor...-  
  
"The card I'm drawing right now is Pot of Greed," said Veli, "so I'll just play it to get the next two cards, which happen to be Curse of the Masked Beast and The Masked Beast (3200/1800)!" She immediately played the two cards, sacrificing her Big Eye and a monster in her hand to summon a hideous beast with four legs whose entire body was covered by masks. "I also activate two of my facedown cards, Dark Room of Nightmare and Skull Invitation, which together will deal 500 Life Points to a Duelist whenever one of their cards goes to the graveyard. Now, Masked Beast, attack the Queen's Knight!" The fiend bounded at the knight, its strange weapons held at the ready.  
  
"I activate Negate Attack!" countered Yami as a barrier swept up around he and the Queen's Knight, causing the Masked Beast to halt its attack.  
  
Veli: 4000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 4000 Yugi: 3500  
  
"My turn," declared Kaiba as he drew, "so I play this: Enemy Controller!" A Super Nintendo-ish controller appeared in front of him, and he explained its purpose, "By paying 1000 Life Points, I can choose to either destroy or sacrifice one monster on the field, so I choose to sacrifice the Masked Beast!" The controller went into a button combo: Left, Right, A, B. Then, the Masked Beast disappeared, and a purple vampire wearing a cape that looked like a red claw appeared in its place. "Say hello to Vampire Lord (2000/1500)," introduced Kaiba as he motioned to the vampire, "he's about to suck you dry. Vampire Lord, attack directly!" The vampire glided at Veli and bit into her neck, causing her to jump backwards.  
  
Veli: 1500 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 2500 Yugi: 3500  
  
"That's not all," said Kaiba, "because now, I choose for you to discard a monster, spell, or trap card directly from your deck into your graveyard. So say goodbye to one of your monsters!" Veli reluctantly searched through her deck, selected a card, and dropped into her graveyard.  
  
Veli: 1000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 2500 Yugi: 3500  
  
"You'll pay for my partner's injuries," vowed Jerry, "for now I remove six Fiends from my graveyard in order to summon two Dark Necrofears (2200/2800)!" Two of the cyber-demons appeared before him, grinning in anticipation. "Now, my Fiends, attack together!" ordered Jerry, and the two leapt at Kaiba, one tearing apart his Vampire Lord and the other going right for him.  
  
"I activate Ring of Protection!" Kaiba yelled in the knick of time, and a ring appeared before him, blocking the second Dark Necrofear.  
  
Veli: 1000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 1300 Yugi: 3500  
  
"Thanks for the support, Jerry," thanked Veli, "but I can handle this. I'll prove it by activating my Trap card, Minor Goblin Official." A goblin that was even uglier than most of his kind appeared. He was dressed in golden armor. "With Minor Goblin Official active," explained Veli to Kaiba, "you'll lose 500 Life Points during each of your turns. And with Dark Room of Nightmare active, that damage is increased to 700. If I were you, I'd prepare to lose."  
  
[Kaiba is taking too much of this Duel] though Yami, [if we're going to win, we need to help each other. But the way Kaiba is dueling, he's leaving himself open to both our opponents, and he'll be out if we don't do something soon!]  
  
Well, I have to cut this chapter a bit shorter than I had intended to. I wanted to get this chapter up before this evening (when I'll be leaving until Saturday). But before ending this chapter, I'd just like to say YES, I KNOW I MESSED UP ON MASK OF BRUTALITY AND DARK ROOM OF NIGHTMARE, SO SHUT UP! 


	17. Completing the Keys

Review responses-  
  
Time Mage: KIRBIN has the multiple essences. Not Term, KIRBIN!  
  
Yoshimo: Actually, to be honest, I just script the duels before writing the chapter, then while writing I put it in dialogue.  
  
Younglink87: No, I do not have the cards laid out in front of me. However, I do spend a lot of time looking at cards on the Internet. Yugioh-Haus I use most often, as the site has enlarged pictures of cards, so you ca actually read the effects.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter Seventeen-Completing the Key  
  
Also Entitled-End Round One  
  
(AN: Unlike in other chapters, I'm just going to get right into the duels this time, instead of having ominous foresight.)  
  
"That Gravekeeper's Chief of yours is strong," complimented Mai as she drew and immediately played a Pot of Greed, drawing two more cards. "But the two cards I've just drawn are going to let me beat it."  
  
"How so?" inquired Kreva as he grinned maliciously.  
  
"Pretty simple," replied Mai as she placed both cards on her Duel Disk, "I'm playing another Elegant Egotist, which will summon another set of Harpie Lady Sisters. Meanwhile, Monster Reborn will revive the trio your Gravekeeper's Chief destroyed." The two sets of sisters appeared in front of Mai, joining her three other Harpies.  
  
"So you summoned another bunch of birds," mocked Kreva, "what are they going to do? My Gravekeeper's Chief can easily defeat them, as can Fang's Fushioh Richie."  
  
"Not for long," said Mai, "because now I sacrifice both sets of Harpie Lady Sisters." At her words, six of the nine Harpies disappeared in a shower of feathers, leaving the remaining three behind. "With those two sets sacrificed, I can now summon Harpie's Pet Dragon (2000/2500) in attack mode!" A large red dragon appeared, an iron collar about its neck. A chain was attached to the collar, and one of Mai's Harpies held its end. "Harpie's Pet Dragon (2900/3400) gains 300 attack and defense for every Harpie Lady on my side of the field," Mai explained as he dragon let out a roar. Kreva and Fang both took a step back as they looked on at Mai's awesome creature before she called out to it, "Harpie's Pet Dragon, destroy the Gravekeeper's Chief!" The dragon belched out a great stream of fire, enveloping the Gravekeeper's Chief in its red-hot inferno and burning him to a cinder.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 1550 Joey: 2800 Mai: 2550  
  
"Even our most powerful monsters are unable to defeat that dragon," admitted Fang as he drew, "so all I'll do this turn is sacrifice my facedown monster for another in its place."  
  
[Why didn't Fang have Fushioh Richie attack?], Joey asked himself as he drew, [If he had attacked one of Mai's Harpie Ladies, then Harpie's Pet Dragon would have been weakened. Oh well, that just gives us an advantage.] "Flame Swordsman, attack the facedown card Fang just set!" The Flame Swordsman swung his sword, releasing the Salamandra flame at Fang's newest monster.  
  
"I activate Ordeal of a Traveler!" countered Fang as his lone facedown card flipped up to reveal an enormous sphinx whose eyes glowed red. "Ordeal of a Traveler will return the Flame Swordsman to your Fusion deck if you fail to guess the type of card that I hold in my hand now." Fang randomly selected a card from his hand and held its back up to Joey.  
  
"What kinda Trap is that?" Joey spat, "That's gotta be one of the cheapest Traps ever!"  
  
"Cheap it may be," conceded Fang, "but it is a legal card, so I suggest you quit complaining and guess."  
  
"Well, that's not very difficult," said Joey, "you've been playing monsters every turn, but you've only played one Trap the entire duel. So that card must be a monster."  
  
Fang frowned and placed the card back in his hand, then watched as the Salamandra flame struck his monster, revealing it to be another sphinx. But then Fang grinned as the sphinx vanished, "You just destroyed the Guardian Sphinx (1200/2400), which will send the Flame Swordsman back to your hand. Actually, because Flame Swordsman is a Fusion monster, it will be sent back to your Fusion deck." Joey watched in surprise as his swordsman vanished.  
  
"Now you're defenseless," said Kreva with a smirk as he drew, "and now I'll eliminate your partner."  
  
"Take your best shot," Mai challenged, "Harpie's Pet Dragon can take anything you can throw."  
  
"Who says my target is your dragon?" responded Kreva, "I don't need to destroy your strongest monster to take you out. Observe, I'll summon Gravekeeper's Cannonholder (1400/1200), who will immediately get a power boost from Necrovalley (1900/1700)!" A man with black robes appeared, a strange red canister slung over his shoulder. "Next, I activate my Cannonholder's special ability, sacrificing Gravekeeper's Curse to deal 700 points of direct damage!" The Curse became a being of light, which floated into the Cannonholder's cannon. The cannon's wielder then fired his weapon at Mai.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 1550 Joey: 2800 Mai: 1850  
  
"Next," continued Kreva with a grin, "I activate Rite of Spirit, summoning Gravekeeper's Curse from my graveyard again and then launching him again!" The Gravekeeper's Curse appeared a third time, then became a being of light again and was launched by the cannon holder at Mai.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 1550 Joey: 2800 Mai: 650  
  
"Finally," concluded Kreva, "Gravekeeper's Cannonholder, destroy one of Mai's harpies!" The cannon launched another stream of energy, this one aimed at one of Mai's three harpies, which gave out a cry of agony as it was killed.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 1550 Joey: 2800 Mai: 50  
  
Mai collapsed to her knees as tears streamed down her face from the pain she felt. Joey and Serenity looked on in horror at Mai, who was no doubt on her last legs.  
  
-...Ground floor...-  
  
Yami drew a card and smiled as he placed it and another card on his Duel Disk, "I place a card facedown, as well as a monster in defense mode. I'll then end my turn by placing the Queen's Knight in defense mode." As the two new cards appeared in front of him, the Queen's Knight crouched behind her shield.  
  
"My move," declared Veli as she drew, "so I'll play Giant Orc (2200/0) in attack mode!" A large, green creature with an enormous gut appeared, a large bone club clenched in its hands. "Prepare to be defeated, Kaiba! Giant Orc, attack Kaiba directly!" The enormous orc lumbered towards Kaiba, swinging its bone club wildly.  
  
"I'll defend Kaiba with Queen's Knight!" countered Yami as his knight nimbly leapt into the path of Veli's monster.  
  
"Kaiba may still be in the duel," said Veli, "but you'll still take 500 points of damage once your Queen's Knight is destroyed, Yugi."  
  
"Not if I protect her with the Trap, Magical Hats," responded Yami as a large top hat decorated by a yellow question mark appeared over the Queen's Knight and dropped onto it. The hat then separated into three different ones, all the same size as the original. The Giant Orc struck the middle hat, which was revealed to be empty. The hats then disappeared and Queen's Knight then walked back to her position in front of Yami.  
  
Veli: 1000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 1300 Yugi: 2000  
  
"Nice move Yugi," said Kaiba in a reluctant tone, which quickly turned to one of pride, "but I could have easily dealt with that attack."  
  
[Yugi's acting really foolish], thought Jerry as he watched Kaiba draw, [by playing Magical Hats, he set out two decoy cards from the bottom of his deck. At the end of the turn Magical Hats is activated, Magical Hats and the two decoy cards go to the graveyard, meaning Yugi just cost himself 1000 more Life Points than if he had just allowed Queen's Knight to be destroyed. What's he up to?]  
  
"One thing you should know about my Vampire Lord," said Kaiba, "after being destroyed, it will be summoned back to my field on my next turn. So say hello again to my Vampire Lord!" The vampire appeared, its cloak whirling about it. "And now I'll play another monster in defense mode and a card facedown."  
  
"Don't forget the damage you take from Minor Goblin Official," reminded Veli.  
  
Veli: 1000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 600 Yugi: 2000  
  
"Prepare to have another dose of Dark Necrofear," said Jerry as he drew, "now you're going to lose."  
  
"I disagree," said Kaiba as one of his facedown cards flipped up, "because now I activate Thunder of Ruler, keeping you from attacking."  
  
"You might still be in the duel," snarled Jerry as he ended his turn, "but now you only have a sparse 100 Life Points!"  
  
Veli: 1000 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 100 Yugi: 2000  
  
-...Elsewhere on the first floor...-  
  
"One more turn and you'll lose," mocked Mask as Yamato examined the card he had drawn, "you should just surrender now and spare yourself the sight of watching your own monster finish you off."  
  
But Yamato simply showed Mask the Pot of Greed he had drawn before playing it, then playing the two cards he had drawn, "The first of the two new cards I've drawn is Heavy Storm, which will destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field." A monsoon appeared in the middle of the field, ripping both masks off of the Cyber Raider and sucking them into its vacuum along with a barn, the Mask of Restrict, and a cow. The twister then disappeared, and Yamato continued as Mask began to sweat, "The second card I play is Change of Heart, which will allow me to take control of your Masked Sorcerer." The angelic/demonic being appeared before him, then floated into the Masked Sorcerer and brought it over to Yamato's field."  
  
"This can't be good," muttered Mask to himself as he found that there was nothing on his field to defend him from the coming onslaught.  
  
"That's not all," said Yamato, "I've been trying to get this card on the field, but your Mask of Restrict has kept me from playing it. Until now, that is. I sacrifice the Masked Sorcerer to summon my strongest monster, the Cyber-Tech Alligator (2500/1600)." Mask's Masked Sorcerer vanished, and in its place appeared a tremendous mechanical beast. Its torso, head, and claws were all made of brass. Its tail and upper-arms and upper-legs all appeared to be from a real alligator. Twin wings of brass sprouted from its back, adding to it fearsome appearance. "Cyber-Tech Alligator, Cyber Raider, attack directly." The Cyber Raider leapt onto the enormous machine's back, and it took flight into the air, circling above the field before dive-bombing Mask. The two struck together, Cyber Raider with fist and Alligator with tooth. Then the two faded along with Yamato's remaining Scapegoats.  
  
Mask: 0 Yamato: 500  
  
Mask's face was one of disappointment as Yamato stepped forward. Mask offered him his chips, which Yamato accepted. "You have some skills, Mask," complimented Yamato, "continue to build your deck up, and you could be one of the greatest."  
  
"Thank you, Yamato," replied Mask with a smile, "you're not so bad yourself."  
  
Yamato and Mask then took their separate paths, Yamato to find his friends, and Mask to leave the tournament.  
  
-...Near the elevators...-  
  
"Let's see you survive this, Stone," challenged Leif after looking at the card he had drawn. He placed the card on the field with a grin, "Megamorph will double Fiend Skull Dragon's power (4000/1200). Now, Fiend Skull Dragon, attack The Rock Spirit!"  
  
"Not so fast," countered Stone as his Trap flipped up, "I activate Earthshaker! This allows me to pick two monster elements, and then you pick one. The type you pick will then be destroyed!"  
  
"I can activate my Ryu Senshi's ability to negate that-" began Rick, but he was cut off.  
  
"Wait, brother," said Leif, "let's hear what elements Stone chooses."  
  
"I choose Earth and Wind," replied Stone.  
  
"Fool!" cried Leif in glee, "I choose Earth, which will leave you defenseless for my Fiend Skull Dragon's strike!" A large crevasse in the earth appeared, and Ryu Senshi and The Rock Spirit fell down into its great abyss while Fiend Skull Dragon continued its onslaught.  
  
"I still have one last defense, called Arrow of Magic Destruction!" Stone's facedown card flipped up, and a blue arrow shot out and planted itself in the ground at Leif's feet before exploding. "That destroys every one of your Spell cards and deals you 500 damage for each one destroyed!"  
  
"My Fiend Skull Dragon will still attack!" cried Leif as the dragon breathed a stream of black fire from its mouth at Stone, enveloping him in flames.  
  
Leif: 1100 Rick: 3650 Burn: 3350 Stone: 2000  
  
Burn snarled as he drew, determined to finish the duel before Stone suffered any more injuries. "I summon Berserk Gorilla (2000/1000), and then remove Blazing Inpachi from my graveyard to summon the Spirit of Flames (1700/1000)!" A large, red gorilla and a red, muscular being appeared around the Lady Assailant of Flames. "Berserk Gorilla, attack the Fiend Skull Dragon!" The Gorilla and the dragon both breathed out a blast of fire, each one burning to cinders from the other's attack. "Now both your fields are clear, so Lady Assailant of Flames, Spirit of Flames, attack Rick directly!" Both of Burn's two remaining monsters shot fire from their hands at Rick, and he became enveloped in flames.  
  
Leif: 1100 Rick: 0 Burn: 3350 Stone: 2000  
  
Joy cried as she watched Rick's soul become claimed by the Shadow Realm, but still grateful that it had not happened to Burn or Stone. Leif, meanwhile, cowered in terror as Stone took his move, "With Rick out of the duel the turn passes to me, so I'll simply summon the Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000) and finish the duel." The large creature of rock appeared and drew its swords. The goliath of stone then stampeded towards Leif and crushed him with its twin stone blades, ending the duel.  
  
Leif: 0 Rick: 0 Burn: 3350 Stone: 2000  
  
Burn and Stone then merged together, and Kirbin took their place. Joy sobbed uncontrollably. Kirbin made attempts to comfort her, but he did not get far before a figure emerged where the dueling field had been and addressed him. "Congratulations on making the finals," said the figure, which was a being of darkness and shadow, "here is your reward for winning the duel." The figure held out one appendage, and the two chips that Leif and Rick had carried floated to Kirbin's open hand. "I expect to see you at the finals." Then the thing vanished, leaving Kirbin and Joy staring in shock at the hallway that was empty except for the remains of Leif and Rick.  
  
-...The roof...-  
  
"Time to end this!" cried Giyan in victory as he slapped two cards into his Duel Disk, "Now that the CRUSH Card Virus has ended, I can summon the Duke of Darkness (2500/500)!" The black warrior appeared, its menacing black blade held at the ready, "That's not all, I also flip the Lord of Light (500/2500)." The robed white warrior appeared where Giyan's facedown monster had been, its own blade of light held ready.  
  
"That will do you little good," said Drake, "the Great Maju Garzette (7200/0) has reached a level of power that is unmatched."  
  
"Not for long," replied Giyan, "because now, with Polymerization, I shall fuse the Lord of Light and the Duke of Darkness together, forming the mighty Warrior of Balance (2500/2500)!" The two monsters became beings of pure light and dark, which then swirled together into the symbol of Yin and Yang. The symbol then manifested into Giyan's most powerful monster, the Warrior of Balance (6500/6500). "Warrior of Balance, attack Luke!" Drake didn't even bother to order the Great Maju Garzette to block, he simply grinned as he watched the Warrior of Balance rush Luke and slash at him with the dark blade of its sword.  
  
Luke: 0 Drake: 4000 Giyan: 4600  
  
Drake snickered as he watched Luke's Duel Disk power down. "You fool!" he yelled at Giyan, "your Warrior of Balance is weaker than my Great Maju Garzette, and while you're unable to draw from your deck, there's no way around it."  
  
"That's what you think," countered Giyan, "now that it's my turn again, I activate the Warrior of Balance's most powerful ability! By paying all but one of my Life Points, I can place my entire deck into my graveyard. Seeing as how all of my monsters are Light and Dark, that should power him up to a strength more than capable of defeating you!" Now the Warrior of Balance (11500/11500) narrowed its eyes at the weakened Great Maju Garzette (1800/0). He leapt at the demon and brought the light blade of his sword down upon it, destroying it almost instantly.  
  
Luke: 0 Drake: 0 Giyan: 1  
  
Drake let out a cry of frustration and vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving behind his chip. Luke then picked up the chip and walked over to Giyan and held out the chip as well as his own to Giyan, who accepted them with a nod. "Your duty here is not yet done," said Luke, "good luck in the finals of this tournament." Then there was a bright flash of light, and he disappeared. Giyan set the two chips into his KS, making it full. Then he walked to the elevator and pressed the call button.  
  
-...Somewhere in the hotel...-  
  
"You're finished, Mai," mocked Kreva as his opponent drew, "with only 50 Life Points left, you'll lose before your next turn. While I may be knocked out of the duel, my partner should easily finish off your weakened Harpie's Pet Dragon!"  
  
"No," denied Mai through gritted teeth, "no I won't, because now I play the Spell card Phoenix Formation!" Her two remaining harpies suddenly turned into a tremendous bird of blue flame, which flew forth at Kreva's cannon holder, destroying him. "Phoenix Formation destroys all your monsters," explained Mai, "then it deducts their combined attack power from your Life Points!"  
  
"But that means...," said Kreva in shock.  
  
Fang: 3800 Kreva: 0 Joey: 2800 Mai: 50  
  
"NO!" Kreva yelled in despair an instant before his soul was wrenched from his body. All the others present stared in shock before Kreva's soulless body crumpled to the floor in a heap.  
  
Mai switched her monsters to defense mode and Fang instantly took his turn, "You'll pay for killing my partner! I summon Pyramid Turtle (1200/1400), then flip Fushioh Richie, which allows me to summon one Zombie monster from my graveyard! I choose the Royal Keeper (1600/1700)." A large turtle with an Egyptian pyramid for a shell appeared, then the Fushioh Richie appeared. These appearances were followed by the materialization of a zombie dressed like an Egyptian guard and carrying a spear and shield. "Next I play the quick-play card, Pyramid Power, which will either increase my monsters' attack by 300 or their defense by 500. I choose to increase their attack!" A great, golden pyramid appeared next to the large sphinx, and a light shone from it down onto Fang's monsters (Royal Keeper: 1900/1700, Pyramid Turtle: 1500/1400, Fushioh Richie: 2900/2900). "Royal Keeper, attack one of Mai's Harpie Ladies!" The Royal Keeper staggered forward, its staff held ready to pierce through the harpie's flesh.  
  
"Oh no ya don't!" yelled Joey as he flipped up his one card, "I activate Graverobber, which will activate the Pyramid Power from your graveyard!" The same pyramid appeared behind Joey, and it shone its powerful light down upon Mai's monsters, this time boosting their defenses (Harpie Ladies: 1300/1900, Harpie's Pet Dragon: 2600/3600). The Royal Keeper's spear was suddenly caught in one of the harpie's taloned claws, and she shoved the weapon aside.  
  
"It looks like there's nothin' else for ya ta do," stated Joey as Fang growled in frustration, so I'll go." He cried out in triumph as he glanced at the card he drew before placing it in his Duel Disk, "I play Raigeki, destroying all of ya monsters!" A lightning bolt struck down from the heavens, blowing apart Fang's monsters. Then Joey nodded at Mai, signaling her turn.  
  
"It doesn't matter," said Fang, "I still have the Ordeal of a Traveler to protect me, and it should buy me enough time to regroup my forces!"  
  
"I disagree," stated Mai after drawing, "because now I play Harpie's Feather Duster, destroying all of your Spell and Trap cards!" Mai's two harpie's flapped their wings in Fang's direction, destroying the large red- eyed sphinx.  
  
"No!" yelled Fang, "I'm done for!"  
  
"You've got that right," agreed Mai, "Harpie Ladies, Harpie's Pet Dragon, attack together!" The two harpies flew at Fang and struck him with their talons, knocking him back and leaving large gashes across his chest. Then the large dragon let out a roar that drowned out Fang's cries of pain and breathed out a great fireball, incinerating its target.  
  
Fang: 0 Kreva: 0 Joey: 2800 Mai: 50  
  
Tears began to flow slowly down Serenity's face as she witnessed the deaths of the two. Joey and Mai bowed their heads and started to leave, Joey wrapping his arm protectively around his little sister. But before long, the same being that had addressed Burn and Stone appeared in front of them, barring their path. "You dueled well," it complimented before holding out an appendage and sending the chips floating into the victors' hands, "I expect to see you in the finals, so I suggest you get moving." Then the thing vanished.  
  
"That guy must have been the one who sent out those two," realized Joey. Then his tone became one of rage, "He was willing to kill two people over a card game!"  
  
"Something tells me that a little more than prize money is at stake," mused Mai. Then the three made their way to the elevators.  
  
-...The ground floor...-  
  
"It's time for you two to lose," declared Yami as he drew. He then played the card and drew two more, "This Pot of Greed will allow me to draw two additional cards." He examined the cards he had drawn and grinned, "So now I'll flip the King's Knight (1600/1500) into attack mode!" A man with a black beard appeared, fitted into armor much like the Queen's Knight's, except that it was yellow. "When King's Knight is summoned and Queen's Knight is already on the field," explained Yami, "I can Special Summon the Jack's Knight (1900/1000) directly from my deck!" A blonde man younger than the King's Knight appeared. He was fitted with a blue version of the armor the other two knights were wearing.  
  
[Wait], realized Kaiba suddenly, [I remember these cards! Yugi used them in our Battle City duel, and he tributed them for...]  
  
"I now sacrifice all three of my monsters," declared Yami as all three of the knights were swept off the field by a mighty, invisible force, "in order to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon (3000/3000)!" The immense, snake-like body of Slifer appeared, its red coils slithering through the air. The great blue gem set in the top of its head glowed with power, grasping more attention than the great yellow eyes did. However, despite the power the gem displayed, the twin mouths of Slifer attracted much more attention, the maws dripping drool onto the field. Veli and Jerry stepped back in awe and horror from the majestic and terrifying beast. "Slifer," commanded Yami, "destroy her Giant Orc!" The enormous dragon opened its lower mouth and fired a blast of energy, obliterating the orc.  
  
Veli: 500 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 100 Yugi: 500  
  
"I'll end my turn here," Yami said simply as he crossed his arms over his chest in wait.  
  
Veli nervously drew her card, the last one that had been affected by Big Eye's effect. It hadn't been a good card. "I'll build up my defenses by a placing a monster in defense mode," she declared shakily as her shaking hand fumbled with the card and made several attempts at placing it on her Duel Disk before succeeding.  
  
"You've just made a very costly error!" yelled Yugi as he raised his right arm, "Slifer's second mouth will deduct 2000 defense points from your monster, and if that drops its defense below 0, your monster will be destroyed!" Slifer opened its upper mouth, and a stream of yellow energy swept out of it, revealing Veli's card as the Gross Ghost of Fled Dreams (1300/1800) and destroying it.  
  
Veli: 0 Jerry: 4000 Kaiba: 100 Yugi: 500  
  
Veli sighed as the turn immediately was passed to Kaiba, who played the next card he drew, "The Life-Shortening Treasure allows me to draw five cards now, but I must discard my entire hand five of my turns from now." But as Kaiba drew the five cards, a grin came across his features, "It looks like I won't have to discard my hand at all. I flip the Lord of Dragons (1200/1500) into attack mode!" Kaiba's facedown monster flipped up, revealing a man covered in dragon bones with a long black cape around his shoulders. "Now, I play the Flute of Summoning Dragon, summoning the Hyozanryu (2100/2800) and Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End (3000/2500)!" A horn with a dragon's head instead of a mouth appeared in the hand of the Lord of Dragons, who blew it. Around it, the mighty dragons appeared with a series of bellows. "But that's not all," continued Kaiba, "I also play Monster Reborn, summoning the Enraged Battle Ox from my graveyard!" The Minotaur appeared once again, bringing the number of Kaiba's monsters to five.  
  
"An impressive series of moves," complimented Jerry, "but face the facts, only one of your monsters has enough power to destroy one of my Dark Necrofears, and as soon as they do so, they will fall under my control!"  
  
"You're forgetting that I still haven't used my Normal Summon for this turn," said Kaiba with a broad grin.  
  
Suddenly, Yami realized what Kaiba was planning, "Kaiba, don't! One Egyptian God is enough, and it was the last option I had!"  
  
"Sorry, Yugi," said Kaiba, "but both of them have annoyed me quite a bit. I plan to end this now." He then plucked three of his monsters off his Duel Disk and sent them to the graveyard, "Now I sacrifice the Lord of Dragons, Vampire Lord, and Enraged Battle Ox to summon the almighty Obelisk the Tormentor!" The three monsters vanished from the field, and the enormous blue stone God appeared, a trail of gases seeping from its body. Jerry cried out in fear as he saw the great beast towering before him. "Time to end this, I sacrifice the Chaos Emperor Dragon and Hyozanryu to Obelisk, which will destroy all of your monsters and deal you 4000 points of direct damage!" Both dragons transformed into pure energy, which Obelisk sucked into its immense hands. Then Obelisk formed one hand into a fist, which glowed with a yellow flame. "Obelisk!" cried Kaiba as he swept his arm in front of him in a sweeping motion, "God Hand Crusher!" Obelisk threw a punch at Jerry, the fist smashing through all of his monsters before landing the blow.  
  
Veli: 0 Jerry: 0 Kaiba: 100 Yugi: 500  
  
Yami glared at Kaiba as the CEO of Kaiba Corps. Stepped forward to claim his prize. Jerry had been knocked to the ground by the blow, though it had been holographic. To Yami's surprise he was grinning, despite the fact that he was now out of the tournament. He emptied his KS of its chips and handed them to Kaiba while he said, "That was an excellent duel. I am honored to have faced a monster as powerful as Obelisk as well as a duelist as skilled as you."  
  
Veli stepped up to Yami and handed him her own chips, "The same for me. That was an excellent strategy you came up with Yugi, almost as good as the time you used it in Battle City." Then she turned to Jerry, "Come on, Jer, let's get out of here."  
  
"Good luck in the finals," Jerry said to Yami and Kaiba.  
  
"Alright, Seto!" cheered Mokuba as he leapt up to his brother, "You really showed them how tough you are."  
  
Kaiba allowed himself a short smile before turning to Yami, "Let's get to the elevator, I want to duel you as soon as possible." He then strode off towards the elevators, with Mokuba in his wake.  
  
Next chapter: the finals of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament commence! 


	18. Beginning of the End

Lots of submitted characters in this chapter: Kai Kaethen is an original character submitted by Time Mage. Zachary Kiselob is an original character submitted by DaBlAcKmAnInReD. Mike Sullivan is an original character submitted by SulliMike23. Kevin Hunter is an original character submitted by Blue Eyes Knight, aka Edgar.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Eighteen- Beginning of the End  
Also Entitled: FINALly!  
  
"This is getting really frustrating," moaned Tea as she, Lin, and Term continued their search for the...um...the...  
  
-...In the production studio (aka, That One Place Where I Write)...-  
  
"How many were there?" wondered G.O.T. Nick as he began counting on his fingers. "Mai, Kaiba, and Mokuba they don't know about, Joy they don't know about, in fact, the only ones they DO know are missing are...oh yeah." G.O.T. Nick then continued typing whilst thinking that maybe he WAS using to many OCs.  
  
-...Back to the story...-  
  
"This is getting really frustrating," moaned Tea as she, Lin, and Term continued their search for the three missing people.  
  
"Well, yeah," agreed Lin, "the author's been having us do nothing but search for them for the past two chapters."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Uh, I mean, we've been searching for over a half hour!" Lin replied hurriedly as he began to scratch his back nervously.  
  
"If only there were someway we could know exactly where to go to find them," pondered Term as suddenly a PA system came on.  
  
"Attention, duelists!" Cerberus's voice blared loudly over the speakers, "Currently more than half of the finals spots have been filled! Term, Lin, Kirbin, Giyan, Yamato, Joey Wheeler, Mai Valentine, Seto Kaiba, and Yugi Moto have all won nine chips. That leaves only seven spots to be filled, so hurry if you want to be in the tournament finals!" Then the system clicked off, and Tea, Term, and Lin looked at each other briefly before heading to the one place in the hotel that led to the basement (where the finals would take place): the elevator.  
  
-...Several floors above, at the elevator...-  
  
"Alright!" said Joey excitedly as he, Serenity, and Mai all waited for the elevator, "Yugi and the others made it to the finals!"  
  
Mai smiled, "It's been a while since I dueled Yugi. I wonder if I'll be able to do it again."  
  
Suddenly, Tristan walked around the corner and spotted the trio. He then ran up and tackled Joey to the floor, "YOU IDIOT! DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED WE WERE ABOUT YOU!? I SHOULD KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!" As the two friends began to fight, the elevator rang and its twin doors opened, revealing Giyan to be inside.  
  
Giyan quirked an eyebrow as he watched the two beat the tar out of each other, then addressed Mai and Serenity, "Should we leave them?"  
  
"Yes," said Mai matter-of-factly as she pulled Serenity into the elevator and hit the "close" button. Tristan and Joey immediately stopped struggling and dived into the small room.  
  
-...Ground floor, near the elevators...-  
  
Kirbin and Joy suddenly turned their attention away from the elevators to see Tea, Term, and Lin arrive. Term and Lin slapped hands with their friend before he made introductions. Shortly afterward, Yamato arrived, followed several minutes later by Yugi, Kaiba, Bakura, and Mokuba. When Yugi arrived, Tea immediately grabbed him in a hug, to which he responded by politely protesting.  
  
"So, what happened to you, Yugi?" asked Lin.  
  
"Well, it's kind of a long story..." began Yugi, reluctant to reveal that Bakura's Millennium Ring contained the spirit of a 5,000- (though probably actually 3,000) year-old Egyptian thief.  
  
The elevator door then opened, revealing Joey, Serenity, Mai, Tristan, Giyan, Kirbin, and Joy within. Greetings were exchanged, and then all fifteen of them piled into the elevator.  
  
-...The Basement...-  
  
The twin doors of the elevator opened and all of its fifteen inhabitants excluding Kaiba, Yamato, and Mai all fell out in a jumble. Kaiba calmly stepped out of the elevator then, making sure to step on Joey's head, and pried his brother from the pile before making his way to a metal door on the other side of the underground room. He noticed that a wire ran from the door into a panel next to it that consisted of sixteen small square slots. A computerized voice said, "Please insert Key System." After briefly examining his KS, Kaiba slid it off its wristband and inserted it lengthways into the first of the sixteen slots, and the door opened. Kaiba stepped through, with Mokuba right behind him. The others soon followed, the competitors inserting their KS's into the slots.  
  
The room beyond the door was extremely large, with a dueling arena at its center. On a balcony beyond the arena sat Cerberus, who grinned as he greeted them, "Welcome, duelists! The finals of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament shall begin as soon as the other finalists arrive. Until then, I suggest you prepare yourselves for the duels ahead."  
  
Yugi and Joey began going over their decks, making sure everything was as it should be. Kaiba leaned against a wall and closed his eyes while Mokuba took out a Game Boy Advanced SP. Tristan, Tea, Serenity, Bakura, and Joy chatted together. Yamato sat down cross-legged and waited.  
  
Lin then took out a set of playing cards and a box of poker chips. Then he began shuffling the cards and formed a circle with Giyan, Kirbin, and Term, "Okay, who's up for some Poker?"  
  
"Poker?" said Term, "Nah, let's play Texas Hold'em."  
  
"No," disagreed Giyan, "Capitalism."  
  
"I say BS," argued Kirbin.  
  
"Poker!"  
  
"Hold'em!"  
  
"Capitalism!"  
  
"BS!"  
  
As the card game became a fist-fight, a duelist walked into the room. He wore a leather jacket and boots. His hair was green and spiky. He leaned against the wall and waited for the other finalists.  
  
After eventually settling to play one round of each game, Lin dealt out the cards. Meanwhile, a teenage boy walked into the room. He had spiky, black hair and blazing blue eyes. He stood just less than six feet tall and wore black pants as well as a black vest over a white shirt. After looking about the room, he sat against one of the walls a ways away from the others in the room and began to meditate.  
  
"Okay, give me three cards," Term told Lin as he selected three of the five cards in his hand and slid them over to Lin. Lin responded by taking the top three cards off of the deck and sliding them facedown to Term, who added them to his hand. Afterwards, Giyan and Kirbin took two while Lin took one. Meanwhile, another duelist stepped into the room. This one was about Yugi's age, though his height did not consist mostly of hair.  
  
Now the four card-players placed their bets. "I'll start by putting in fifty," said Kirbin confidently as he threw in a couple of chips.  
  
"I'll see your fifty," said Term as he threw in several of his own chips, "and I'll raise you a hundred!"  
  
"Then I'll raise you two hundred," said Giyan.  
  
"I'll raise you five hundred!" shouted Lin.  
  
"I'll raise you a thousand!" yelled Kirbin.  
  
Eventually, all four of them had gone all in. During the period when they had been betting, another duelist had entered. He was about seventeen, though he looked fifteen, and his hair was messy and brown. He wore a black t-shirt with a picture of the Duel Monster Sword Hunter on it, and he also had blue jeans on. His eyes were covered by black sunglasses that had blue and orange flames on the arms. He lowered the sunglasses and looked about the room, revealing his eyes to be chestnut brown.  
  
"Okay, I call," said Lin after all the chips were in a tremendous pile between himself and the other card-players. At this moment, yet another duelist stepped into the room. His hair was blonde and spiky, and he wore blue jeans and a red jacket over a black t-shirt.  
  
The four card-players set down their hands, one at a time. "Read 'em and weep!" cried Kirbin triumphantly as he played a Royal Flush of diamonds. Term pulled him back down from his victory dance and set his own hand down. It was a Royal Flush of hearts. Then Giyan set his hand down. It was a Royal Flush of Clubs. Then all three turned to Lin, who stared down in shock at the three hands before setting down his Royal Flush of Spades.  
  
Lin quickly gathered up the cards and chips, "Let's never talk to anyone about this."  
  
Just then, the final two duelists stepped into the room. The first was the duelist from the plane garbed in gray and blue (see chapter two for description). The other duelist was about fourteen years old, and he had black, messy hair. His eyes were a strange tinge of purple, and they twinkled behind his glasses. He wore purple pants and a black shirt.  
  
After they had entered, Cerberus stood up and made an announcement, "Now all sixteen finalists have arrived. So let's get straight to business. All the duelists will randomly select one monster card from their deck. The duelist who draws the monster with the strongest attack will face the duelist with the weakest attack, the second-strongest with the second- weakest, and so on." As Cerberus had been speaking, a large screen had appeared on the wall below him, and it showed a tournament tree with labels of 1 through 16 at the branches. "So, let's begin, starting with Seto Kaiba." Kaiba took one card and held it up, revealing it to be the Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000 attack). As he held the card up, the number "3000" appeared on the branch labeled "1". "Next, Term," Term held up his monster: the Mystical Knight of Jackal (2700 attack). The number appeared on the second branch. "Lin," Lin responded by holding up his Celtic Guardian (1400 attack). "Yamato," Yamato held up Oni Tank T-34 (1400 attack). "Kirbin."  
  
Kirbin, however, chose not to hold up a card, "I'd rather just face whoever draws the strongest monster," he explained.  
  
Cerberus cocked an eyebrow, but then chuckled before responding, "An interesting proposal. Very well, let's continue. Giyan," Giyan held up the Black Skull Dragon (3200 attack), placing him at the one spot. "Joey Wheeler," Joey already had Panther Warrior (2000 attack) in his hand. "Mai Valentine," Mai held up Cyber Harpie (1800 attack). "Yugi Moto," Yugi had drawn his weakest monster: Kuriboh (300 attack). "Bullus," the green-haired man held up the extremely powerful but extremely hard-to-use Ultimate Obedient Fiend (3500 attack). "Kai Kaethen," the black-haired teen dressed mostly in black held up the Skilled Dark Magician (1900 attack). "Zachary Kiselob," the boy that had entered after Kai held up the Last Warrior from Another Planet (2350 attack). "Mike Sullivan," the teen with the Sword Hunter shirt held up Maha Vailo (1550 attack). "Kevin Hunter," the teen with blonde, spiky hair had the Cyber Jar (900 attack). "Shaun," the purple- clothed boy held up the Catapult Turtle (1000 attack). "And finally, Nick," the man with his face covered by cloth held up Freed the Matchless General (2300 attack). The screen now read as follows:  
  
(1) Bullus v. (16) Kirbin  
  
(2) Giyan v. (15) Yugi  
  
(3) Kaiba v. (14) Kevin  
  
(4) Term v. (13) Shaun  
  
(5) Zachary v. (12) Yamato  
  
(6) Nick v. (11) Lin  
  
(7) Joey v. (10) Mike  
  
(8) Kai v. (9) Mai  
  
"The first duel of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament Finals will begin immediately!" declared Cerberus, "Bullus and Kirbin, step onto the dueling arena!"  
  
Next time: The first duel of the Tournament Finals begins!  
  
Special thanks to the above-mentioned OC-submitters. 


	19. Roar of the Dragon

Review Response:  
  
thegymrat: Honestly, I did have to go over the last few chapters mentally to remember how many of them were missing. However, I did NOT think I was using too many OCs. Now, on to the Finals!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Nineteen-Roar of the Dragon  
Also Entitled: Go Go Godzilla!  
  
Bullus and Razor stepped into the arena. The dueling arena was meant to be used with Duel Disks, and the two combined would make the holograms seem even more realistic.  
  
Bullus grinned as he faced off against Kirbin, "You must have some pretty weak monsters to refuse to even show them to anyone. Let's get this over with quickly, I'd like to actually face someone worth my time."  
  
"I'll ensure it to be very quick," promised Kirbin as his eyes glowed green. His entire body was then enveloped by gray armor that was covered in curved blades. Green eyes glowed from behind the visor.  
  
"Razor...," murmured Giyan.  
  
"What the Hell!?" cried Bullus in shock, "What just happened?"  
  
"I'd like to know that myself," said Yugi.  
  
"He's been doing this the whole tournament," said Joy, "every time Kirbin duels, one of these essences of his takes over his body and duels for him. Each of them has some sort of power. One time he even split into two of them at once and they dueled as a team."  
  
"He must be using some kind of magic," said Yugi to himself.  
  
"What's just happened is not important," said Razor as he activated his Duel Disk, "what's important is the fact that I'm about to wipe the floor with you."  
  
Bullus growled and activated his Duel Disk, "I'll make you eat those words, tin-head! Let's duel!"  
  
Bullus: 4000 Razor: 4000  
  
"I'll start this duel off by just playing one monster in defense mode," said Razor as he placed one card on his Duel Disk. A holographic image of the facedown card shimmered into view before him.  
  
"If that's all you've got, then it won't be long before I win this duel!" cried Bullus as he played a card, "I play Raigeki, destroying all of your monsters!" A lightning bolt struck from above, obliterating Razor's monster. "Now, because you're totally defenseless, there's nothing to stop me from summoning Mechanicalchaser (1850/800) and attacking directly!" The bulbous machine resembling a deadly Swiss-army knife appeared and rushed at Razor before stabbing him in the chest. "Before ending my turn," continued Bullus, "I set two cards facedown." The two cards appeared between he and his Mechanicalchaser.  
  
Bullus: 4000 Razor: 2150  
  
"Kirbin's essences are usually more prepared for something like that," murmured Joy worriedly, "Razor should have set up a better defense than that."  
  
"Perhaps he deliberately left himself open so that he would be able to make a good counterattack," mused Yugi.  
  
"I hope so," said Joy.  
  
"So you got a strong monster out," said Razor, "I'll easily pay you back for that move and more. I summon Luster Dragon (1900/1600)!" A human-sized dragon appeared. It was covered by sapphires and looked very beautiful, but its eyes burned dangerously. "Next, I play Stamping Destruction, which will destroy one of your Spell or Trap cards and deal you 500 points of direct damage!" As Razor played the card, everyone waited for its results to be shown. However, nothing happened.  
  
"It seems that your Spell did absolutely nothing," mocked Bullus.  
  
"Wait for it..." assured Razor. Just then, Godzilla's foot crashed through the ceiling and stomped on one of Bullus's facedown cards. With a bellow, Godzilla then lifted his foot out of the room. "And that's not all," continued Bullus, "I also play Dragon's Gunfire, which will destroy one monster with 800 or less defense!" Godzilla poked his head through the hole in the ceiling his foot had made. He then shot his atomic breath at the Mechanicalchaser, destroying it.  
  
Bullus: 3500 Razor: 2150  
  
"Now then," said Razor, "Luster Dragon, attack directly!" The dragon let forth a stream of energy from its mouth. The breath weapon struck Bullus head on, momentarily bringing him to his knees.  
  
Bullus: 1600 Razor: 2150  
  
"You'll pay for that, punk!" Bullus snarled as he snapped a card off his deck. He grinned at the card and immediately played it, "Graceful Charity. And one of the two cards I choose to discard I'll immediately bring back! I play Monster Reborn, reviving the Ultimate Obedient Fiend (3500/3000)!" The tremendous red beast appeared, its frame of pure muscle crowding Bullus's entire field.  
  
"I see little good that will do you," said Razor calmly, "after all, there's little that thing can do as long as you have anything else near it."  
  
"What's Razor mean by that?" asked Tea confusedly.  
  
"It's Ultimate Obedient Fiend's effect," explained Yugi, "it can't attack so long as its controller has any cards on their field or in their hand. It's actually a rather common card, but few people use it due to its immense difficulty to use."  
  
"What I want to know is why Bullus summoned that thing at all," said Tristan, "if it can't do any attacking, what use is it to him?"  
  
"Now, I activate Skill Drain!" continued Bullus as his Trap card flipped up, "So long as this is on the field, all monster effects are negated, including my Ultimate Obedient Fiend's!" The Ultimate Obedient Fiend reared up its head and bellowed, now attacking more feral than before.  
  
"Don't forget about the other effect of Skill Drain," said Razor, "it will hurt you more than help now. Because now you have to pay 1000 Life Points."  
  
Bullus: 600 Razor: 2150  
  
"That little bit of Life Points won't matter now," said Bullus, "for now, the Ultimate Obedient Fiend is free to attack whenever I want him to! Now, my Fiend, destroy that pathetic excuse for a dragon!" The red mass of muscle lumbered forward and made a swipe at the Luster Dragon, battering it away.  
  
Bullus: 600 Razor: 550  
  
Bullus laughed aloud at Razor, "What do you do now, metal-man? With Ultimate Obedient Fiend on the field, you're totally helpless. If I were you, I'd give up now."  
  
"I understand that," replied Razor, "from what I know about you, you would be cowering in fear by now. After all, you are just a cheater and a bully."  
  
"Cheater? What do you mean by that?" yelled Bullus in angry retaliation, though his brow suddenly became sweaty.  
  
"After facing Bandit Keith earlier in this tournament, I'd be quite ashamed with myself if I didn't spot you cheating. I noticed it as soon as we began. When you drew, only two cards came off your deck, but somehow your hand had five cards in it. Then, when you drew on your second turn, you flipped your wrist towards your Duel Disk, and you didn't take a card off your deck. I figured the extra cards came from the sleeves of your jacket. But it doesn't matter how much you try to cheat now." Then Razor's eyes flashed, and a dagger suddenly flew towards Bullus. The blade of the dagger caught the end of his jacket sleeve, tearing it and latching the end to the wall. A stack of cards spilled out from it. "Now you have no cards to draw from your sleeves," said Razor coolly as Bullus began to sweat more profusely.  
  
"I thought something was up when Bullus pulled that combo off so quickly," mused Yugi, "turns out, he's just another Bandit Keith."  
  
"Now to take care of the Ultimate Obedient Fiend," said Razor as he played a card, "I play Card Destruction, so now let's get a new hand each." He pulled the new cards free from his deck and played one of them, "Now I play Painful Choice, so pick one of my five dragons to go to my hand." Razor briefly searched his deck for the five cards, then held them up for Bullus to see.  
  
Bullus looked at the cards and found that they were all high-level monsters, though none of them could measure up to his Ultimate Obedient Fiend. "I'll choose that middle one," he decided after a quick consideration." Razor placed the other four monsters in his graveyard and the selected monster in his hand.  
  
"Prepare to lose your greatest weapon, Bullus," declared Razor, "for now I play the Lord of Dragons, followed by the Flute of Summoning Dragon. That allows me to summon any two dragons in my hand. However, I only have one in my hand now, the Luster Dragon #2 (2400/1400)." The Lord of Dragons appeared and blew into its summoning horn. Then a large, majestic dragon with a hide of emeralds appeared.  
  
"I don't see what that thing can do to me," said Bullus simply.  
  
"It will disarm your fiend," replied Razor, "I play Wingbeat of Giant Dragon, returning the Luster Dragon #2 to my hand to destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field!" The emerald dragon spread its wings and soared into the sky. Then Bullus's Skill Drain was destroyed. "Your move, Bullus. Let's see if you can do anything without the Ultimate Obedient Fiend."  
  
Bullus angrily swiped a card off his deck and briefly looked at it, cursing as he saw it to be useless. He ended his turn amidst a string of vulgar comments.  
  
Razor calmly drew, "I will set a card facedown and switch Lord of Dragon's into defense mode." The Lord of Dragons crouched down, his cape flowing down his shoulders. Then a card appeared behind him, "Your turn."  
  
Bullus drew a card and smiled, "I place a monster in defense mode." The sideways facedown card appeared next to the Ultimate Obedient Fiend, "Now even if you destroy my Ultimate Obedient Fiend, you still won't defeat me!"  
  
"You're a foolish person," said Razor, "you feel confidence because you cheat to gain an advantage when normally you would fall easily. Not only that, but you also think a single monster in defense mode will stop me. But I have a little piece of information for you, Bullus. You have no Trap cards on your field. I see know way you can hope to defend yourself without those. So now allow me to show you just how important those Traps are by activating one of my own: Dragon's Rage!" Razor's single card flipped up, a Trap depicting a sinuous green dragon going berserk. Through the hole in the ceiling, Godzilla could be seen going on a rampage throughout Tokyo.  
  
"Why in the world would you activate a Trap on your own turn?" asked Bullus confusedly.  
  
"You won't have to wonder for long," said Razor, "for this is the last turn of the duel! I play Monster Reborn, reviving the Serpent Night Dragon (2350/2400) from my graveyard!" An, immense, serpentine dragon with four wings growing from its snake-like body appeared. Its body was a dark blue, and four yellow-clawed talons hung below the black wings. Its red eyes glowed as it stared fiercely at Bullus. "This card was given to me by a good friend of mine when he won it in his first match of the tournament," said Razor as he recalled Term handing Kirbin the card, "it's just another lesson to you, Bullus. Whereas bullies never get any stronger as they go after those weaker than them, friends help each other to grow stronger."  
  
"I still don't see how you plan on doing anything," said Bullus as he crossed his arms confidently, "your monster isn't strong enough to destroy the Ultimate Obedient Fiend, and attacking my defense monster will get you nothing."  
  
"We'll see about that," replied Razor.  
  
"You know, Bullus does have a point," conceded Joey. But Yugi simply smiled as he caught on to Razor's simple plan.  
  
"Serpent Night Dragon, attack!" yelled Razor. The dragon let out a shriek like a bird, and shadows began to gather about it. Then the shadows blasted at Bullus's facedown monster in a great black wind. The card was flipped up, revealing the Gemini Elves (1900/900) before they were destroyed by the black wind.  
  
After the smoke cleared, Bullus smiled a small bit, "Looks like you couldn't fulfill your promise. I've still got 600 Life Points left, you couldn't touch them because my monster was in defense mode." Razor simply pointed at the fading holograms, then at Bullus's Duel Disk.  
  
Bullus: 0 Razor: 550  
  
"What!?" cried Bullus, "But how!?"  
  
"Quite simple," said Razor, "Dragon's Rage causes all my Dragons to deal battle damage to you when they destroy your monsters, no matter what position they're in. With only 900 defense points, your Gemini Elf's destruction dealt you a total of 1450 damage, easily enough to finish you."  
  
Bullus angrily threw off his Duel Disk, causing it to break. "Hey, that's my property you just damaged!" yelled Cerberus immediately. Then he pressed a button on his balcony and the platform Bullus was standing on dropped out from under him, causing him to fall a great length. Cerberus immediately turned is attention from the pit trap's victim to the duelists, "Second Duel of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament Finals will begin now! Giyan and Yugi Moto, report to the dueling arena!"  
  
Sappy? I know. Stupid? Possibly. Funny? You better say that!  
  
Next time: Yugi faces off against Yi Gai Dai Jun, Giyan! Can Yugi overcome the might of the Warrior of Balance? Will Giyan defeat Slifer? Does anyone care about what I'm saying right now? Next time on Tokyo Tournament! 


	20. Fight to Remember

Before we start this chapter, I'd like to say a few things. First off, review responses.  
  
Time Mage: Yes, it was for symbolism. When I first scripted the duel, I actually had planned to use Brave Attack, but then I decided to just use Dragon's Rage. The strongest Dragon in the grave would have been Tri-Horned Dragon, but Razor pretty much knew that he would win with Serpent Night.  
  
Finally, Yoshimo: -Sigh- why must Arkana keep complaining...[begins to type].  
  
Next, because some of you guys (you know who you are) have been nice enough to help me get to 100 reviews by advertising Tokyo Tournament, I'm going to return the favor!  
  
Master of the Cards by Chuck ZFB: Chuck is the guy who actually inspired me to start Tokyo Tournament. His various original ideas and ability to juggle original characters (unlike me ) make Master of the Cards a good read, so long as you can stand cliffhangers.  
  
100 Years After Battle City by Aldea: Aldea also came up with a multitude of original and clever ideas. 100 Years After Battle City takes place in the indicated time and follows her OC, Fader, a skilled duelist who enters a Duel Monsters tournament in Domino and begins an unexpected adventure that tests his limits not just in the world of Duel Monsters.  
  
Return of Battle City: Wandering Souls by Time Mage: This is based off Aldea's story, but Time Mage makes this parallel worth reading. While he's only just got the fic off the ground, a multitude of characters have already been introduced that will probably play a great role later on. Edgar, aka Blue Eyes Knight, is a co-author for this story.  
  
What Was, What Is, and What Shall Be by thegymrat: Gym rat exceeds me in every way when it comes to writing Yu-Gi-Oh. He has less grammar mistakes, longer duels, and better dialogue than I could dream of creating. So far, he has done a nearly-flawless job of unraveling the plot and stringing it back up as minor details are put in early before being explained later on. His great characters and shine in passionate moments as the quarrel and- okay, now I'm being too poetic. Anyways, he's just finished up one part of the story, but he's hasn't even closed it and already a new one has unfolded. Check it out.  
  
The Helldragon: Helldragon's one of the best authors out there, period. He creates a remarkable story of angst and horror in The Hive of Darkness Trilogy, but he also causes his readers to burst with laughter in Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction for Dummies.  
  
Yoshimo: Yoshimo's two Yu-Gi-Oh stories follow the same plot line in which a group of four of his original characters, all young teenage friends, enters Duel Monsters tournaments together. While the story's chock full of duels, Yoshimo's greatest skill is his creation of humor. The comedic moments come repeatedly, quickly, and smoothly throughout each chapter. Only once has Yoshimo's story dropped out of the element of pure fun, and that scene was still kick-A.  
  
The American Tournament by SulliMike23: Mike's story is a continuation of the Invaders' (Invader Sam and Invader Shaun) Egyptian Tournament. While the Invaders have made their own sequel (The Gathering), Mike got permission to make his own alternate take. It's slow in the making and Mike has yet to prove himself, but his story has the potential.  
  
Now, on to MY story!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
  
Chapter 20-Fight to Remember  
Also Entitled: Destiny v. Balance  
  
As Giyan and Yugi stepped onto the dueling arena to begin the second match of the tournament's finals, an uninvited duelist snuck into the room. He wore a red tuxedo and top hat, as well as a light blue and black-striped bowtie. A mask also covered his eyes and was striped the same way. This was Arkana, the spellcaster-duelist who had once nearly won Yugi's Dark Magician away from the boy. "If I can injure one of the finalists," Arkana muttered to himself, "and no one sees it happen, then they might get disqualified and I could take their place." The magician snuck into the room, in which everyone had their eyes on the arena. He tiptoed up behind Lin, and prepared to knock the unsuspecting duelist out so that he could drag him off and perform a greater injury.  
  
Arkana leapt to tackle Lin, just as his victim stooped with a cry of, "Oh, look! A penny!" As Lin ducked to retrieve the copper-piece, Arkana leapt over and landed just in front of the duelist, landing in a pile of tangled limbs to the extent that he even looked like... "AH! SPIDER!" shouted Lin as he immediately jumped onto Arkana and began to tap-dance on him in an attempt to break through his non-existent exoskeleton and cause his internal fluids to spurt out onto the floor. After breaking several of Arkana's bones, Lin jumped off the suspected spider and grabbed a 2x4 board. He then beat Arkana repeatedly with the wooden weapon before flipping him into the air and hitting him baseball-style. Arkana flew out of the entrance, skidded along the floor, and collapsed into the strangely open elevator. Arkana groaned as the doors closed, but then screamed as he realized that his ankle was now stuck between the doors.  
  
Back at the dueling arena, Cerberus had just signaled the start of the duel. "Remember what I said on the plane, Yugi?" Giyan asked the young boy.  
  
"Yes," replied Yugi as he and his opponent each drew five cards, "you said you hoped that we would duel, and that it would be a duel to remember."  
  
"Then I hope that this duel lives up to my expectations," said Giyan with a grin, "I expect you to give this your all."  
  
"Then I will," responded Yugi. The Millennium Puzzle about his neck then glowed a bright gold, and Yami took his place. Giyan grinned as he saw the confident look in Yami's violet eyes.  
  
"Let's get this started, Giyan," said Yami.  
  
Giyan: 4000 Yami: 4000  
  
"I'll bet you all my winnings from my duel against Rex that Giyan beats Yugi," Term said cheerfully as he turned to Joey.  
  
"Nah, I don't want your money," responded Joey with a grin, "Yugi's got this one in tha bag."  
  
"Five bucks, then."  
  
"Deal."  
  
"I start by setting one monster facedown in defense mode," said Yugi as he placed one of the six cards in his hand on his Duel Disk, "then I play another card facedown. Your move."  
  
Giyan added a card from his deck to his hand. Then he looked at the cards he had drawn and suppressed a smirk, "I'll just do as you have done, with a facedown monster and another facedown card."  
  
"Then I'll go again, and simply play a second card facedown," Yugi now had two facedown cards and his monster, and Giyan had one of each.  
  
"If that's all you're going to do," said Giyan as he drew another card, "then I think it's time I broke this duel wide open! I play the Spell card that will now cause a tear in the fabric of the space-time continuum itself! Go, Dark Hole!" A great, black hole appeared in the center of the playing field, and both facedown monsters were sucked into the void of oblivion. "Now," continued Giyan, "I summon the mighty Duke of Darkness (2500/500), and he will attack directly!" The black-armored swordsman stepped onto the field. Then he charged at the open Yami with his sword raised, prepared to tip the tide of the battle a great amount in Giyan's favor.  
  
But Yami didn't bat an eye, "I activate Magic Cylinder!" A pair of pink cylinders appeared in the Duke's path. As the Duke swung his sword, a blast of black energy erupted from the blade. The blast was absorbed by one of the two cylinders, and then fired at Giyan from the other. "Now your attack will come right back at you!"  
  
"Guess again, Yugi!" cried Giyan as his own facedown card flipped up, "I activate Barrel Behind the Door!" A golden pistol pointing at Giyan appeared. On the back of the gun's barrel was the head of a cobra, which the blast of energy from the Cylinders flew into.  
  
"What just happened?" asked Yami, confused.  
  
"When I take damage from my opponent that doesn't come from battle, Barrel Behind the Door will stop it," Giyan explained, "But that's not all. Barrel Behind the Door will even take that damage..." here the golden pistol rotated so that it faced Yami, "and fire it right back at you!" The trigger of the gun was pulled, and a thin path of energy flew from the barrel and struck Yami square in the chest.  
  
Giyan: 4000 Yami: 1500  
  
Yami struggled to his feet after taking the enormous blow. Then he looked at the Duke of Darkness and found that he had crouched down, his sword held in front of him. "After Duke of Darkness attacks," Giyan explained briefly, "he switches to defense mode until my next turn."  
  
"I'd pay up now if I were you," Term said to Joey with a grin, "Yugi's already lost over half his Life Points and Giyan has yet to get even scratched."  
  
"Don't count Yug out yet," Joey said with a frown, "he's come back from positions that were worse'n this."  
  
"I've never even heard of that Duke of Darkness before," said Yami as he drew a card.  
  
"There is only one Duke of Darkness in existence," said Giyan boastfully, "and you have just witnessed one reason why. The Duke is the strongest non- sacrifice monster in Duel Monsters."  
  
"He may be strong," said Yami as he grinned himself, "but its effect of shifting to defense mode will be its downfall. Now, I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1000) and attack!" The second of the three Magnet Warriors appeared before Yami, its magnet-claws held ready for battle. Beta then flew through the air and struck the Duke of Darkness with of its claws, instantly destroying him.  
  
"What'd I tell ya?" Joey said to Term, "Yugi hasn't ever lost a fair duel, and now Giyan's totally open!"  
  
"Giyan doesn't need strength of the field to win," said Term, "remember, he took out half of Yugi's Life Points using just two cards. He'll only need one to defend himself."  
  
"If you're done Yugi, then its my turn," said Giyan as he flipped a card off the top of his deck. "So I just place one card facedown and end my turn."  
  
"One card won't be enough to save you from defeat, Giyan," said Yami seriously as he drew a card, "no matter what measures you take, I shall defeat you."  
  
"You seem quite confident with yourself, Yugi," responded Giyan coolly, "but confidence often works against a duelist. Their judgment becomes clouded and they begin to think themselves invincible. But a truly great duelist will realize that every action he takes could do him in, and take precautions. It was your confidence in your Magic Cylinder card that lost you half your Life Points, and it will be that same confidence that costs you the rest of them!"  
  
"You yourself seem confident in your chances of victory, Giyan," challenged Yami, "but it is I who control the field. Now prepare to lose! I summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior (1500/1800)!" The round, pink member of the Magnet Warriors appeared next to Beta, its fists held at the ready. "Beta, Gamma, attack!" As the Pharaoh yelled out his command, both of the metal beings charged Giyan, prepared to drop him to a mere fifth of his Life Points.  
  
"Think again, Yugi!" yelled Giyan as his one card flipped up. A blanket of shadow swept in front of him, cutting off the two Magnet Warriors.  
  
"What just happened?" cried Yami in surprise as his monsters were blown backward.  
  
"I activated the quick-play Spell card known as Dark Wall of Air," said Giyan as he showed the card to Yami, "I believe you've encountered it before. Didn't Marik use this card at the Battle City Finals?" Yami grimaced as he recalled the events at the previous tournament. "Well, as you should know, on the turn Dark Wall of Air is activated, no one can be attacked by monsters, so I've just saved myself."  
  
"One turn won't save you, Giyan," said Yami calmly, "I will still defeat you. It is inevitable."  
  
Giyan seemed to snap, "FOOL! You see!? You still believe you will achieve victory no matter what! Well, I have news for you, 'YUGI', I'm not that ignorant."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Haven't you figured it out yet, Yugi, or, should I say, YAMI!"  
  
Yami stepped back in shock, "How did you know?"  
  
"Oh, come on," said Giyan, still furious as he began to rant, "do you really think I'm as ignorant as Weevil or Rex or any of your other opponents? It's totally obvious. Every time you duel, that stupid golden upside-down pyramid around your neck glows. Then there's a golden eye that appears for about five seconds on your forehead. Then you get a foot taller, your eyes change shape, your hair spikes up, and your voice gets so deep it's like your going through a sextuple-puberty! Come on Pharaoh, even without my prior knowledge I would have noticed as soon as I saw you duel Hunter!"  
  
"You had prior knowledge of the Millennium Puzzle?" Yami said, realizing that Giyan was present at the tournament for some reason that involved the Millennium Items.  
  
Giyan realized he had said too much and changed the topic immediately, "That's not important now, Pharaoh. What is important is that it's my turn!" He slapped a card off his deck.  
  
"Giyan knows about Yami and the Millennium Items?" Tea muttered to herself. She turned to Yamato, Lin, and Kirbin. Yamato quickly strolled off before she could address him, and Kirbin pretended he had lost something and was looking for it. Lin, however, did not notice Tea approaching him. "Okay, why are you five really here?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Lin said, not realizing her true question, "We're just here to duel, like Yugi and Joey."  
  
"Giyan knows about the Millennium Items, what about you?"  
  
"Oh!" Lin began to sweat, and immediately put his hand behind his head nervously as he blurted out a response, "Nothing! Giyan's been having...um...mental problems lately! YEAH! He's been going to a psychiatrist! It's only a minor case! REALLY!"  
  
Tea folded her arms across her chest and glared at Lin. Luckily for Lin, Tea became distracted by Giyan. Giyan had just played the Pot of Greed and was now laughing insanely, "I have just drawn the instruments of your defeat, Pharaoh! I play Monster Reborn, reviving the Duke of Darkness!" The Duke of Darkness reappeared, sword held at the ready. "Next I shall summon the Duke's counterpart, the Lord of Light (500/2500)." Now the white-robed sword-wielder appeared, and the masters of Light and Dark stood ready to fight against any foe.  
  
"Why summon the Lord of Light?" inquired Yami, "He is weaker than either of my monsters."  
  
Giyan grinned as he responded, "It is said that together, individuals are more powerful than the sum or their parts. So let's test that theory, shall we? I play Polymerization, combining the Lord of Light and the Duke of Darkness to form my most powerful monster, the Warrior of Balance (2500/2500)!" The swordsmen transformed into pure light and dark, and then swirled together to form a Yin Yang symbol. The symbol then materialized into the Warrior of Balance, who held his doubled-bladed sword high.  
  
"Your new monster is powerful," said Yami, though his face showed no expression of fear, "but it seems you wasted your monsters. You already had a monster with 2500 attack and another with 2500 defense. You've simply combined the best of their statistics."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," muttered Kirbin, recalling how Lightning had struggled against Thunder.  
  
"You don't know the power of the Warrior of Balance," said Giyan, "he has a multitude of statistics that make him the most powerful monster in all of Duel Monsters. However, he also has a great deal of restrictions. First, I must remove my hand from the game." He pocketed the cards in his hand, "Next, I must skip all of my draw phases for as long as the Warrior of Balance is on the field."  
  
"That seems to high a cost for any monster," said Yami, "you will be unable to use any of your other cards in combination with the Warrior of Balance."  
  
"I haven't finished yet," replied Giyan, "the Warrior of Balance is immune to all Spells and Traps, so none of my other cards would help it anyway. Next, the Warrior's true strength. He gains 500 attack and defense points for every Light and Dark monster on the field and in both graveyards (Warrior of Balance-4500/4500)!"  
  
"Unbelievable!" cried Yami as he witnessed the Warrior before him almost double in strength.  
  
"The Warrior of Balance can also attack after being summoned by Polymerization, so prepare to lose! Warrior of Balance, destroy the pathetic Magnet Warrior and win this duel!" The Warrior raised its sword in the air and threw it like a javelin at Yami's field.  
  
"I activate Waboku!" cried Yami as his remaining facedown card flipped up and three priestesses appeared, warding away the sword.  
  
"I'm not foolish as you were, Pharaoh," said Giyan sternly, "I know that a duelist as skilled as yourself can do plenty in one turn. However, I can assure you that I am prepared for whatever you may throw at me."  
  
"We'll see," replied Yami as he drew, "I get a fresh hand now, as I play Card Destruction!" Yami threw away the remaining four cards in his hand and drew four more to replace them.  
  
"You forget, Pharaoh," said Giyan, "that every Light or Dark monster that hits the field of graveyard will give my Warrior of Balance (5000/5000) even more power!"  
  
"That won't matter now, Giyan," said Yami, "because now I sacrifice Alpha the Magnet Warrior from my hand as well as Beta and Gamma to summon Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (3500/3850)!" The final Magnet Warrior appeared before Yami, its sword and shield held ready. Then it and the other Magnet Warriors split apart and reformed as one. Its long limbs flexed with power as it floated in the air, its pink wings flapping slowly.  
  
"Valkyrion is strong, but not strong enough," said Giyan, "it will soon fall."  
  
"Not quite, Giyan," countered Yami, "now I sacrifice Valkyrion to re-summon Alpha, Beta, and Gamma." Valkyrion split apart, and reformed into the original three warriors.  
  
"You certainly worked hard just to summon an extra weak monster, Pharaoh," Giyan said with a grin. But then something dawned on him, "But all those summons were Special Summons, meaning-"  
  
"Yes," said Yami as he pulled all three monsters off his Duel Disk and played one in their place, "I sacrifice Alpha, Beta, and Gamma to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon (1000/1000)!"  
  
As the red, two-mouthed, serpentine dragon that ruled the underworld appeared, Giyan couldn't help but burst into laughter, "You fool! You were better off with Valkyrion! With only one card in your hand, Slifer is too weak to defeat even my weakest monster, let alone the Warrior of Balance!"  
  
"You said before that overconfidence can defeat a duelist," said Yami calmly, "perhaps you should take your own advice. I now play an extremely rare card, known as Card of Sanctity! Now both duelists can draw until they have six cards each. Seeing as how you are forbidden from drawing cards, this will only benefit myself and Slifer (6000/6000)! Slifer, destroy the Warrior of Balance!" Slifer opened its lower mouth, and a stream of mighty energy blew forth.  
  
"I activate another one of my Warrior of Balance's special abilities!" cried Giyan. Slifer's attack struck the Warrior of Balance and continued onward, bowling Giyan over. But, as the smoke cleared, the Warrior of Balance remained!  
  
Giyan: 2000 Yami: 1500  
  
"Confused, Pharaoh?" said Giyan with a grin, "I just activated one of my monster's special abilities. By taking double the Battle Damage from Slifer, my Warrior of Balance was able to survive. Together, we are unstoppable!"  
  
Yami noticed as he watched Giyan how much the duelist looked like his monster. They had the same physical appearance, but there was something beyond that. The power that the Warrior of Balance emanated also seemed to come from Giyan. The only details that differed between the two were the Warrior's sword and Giyan's Duel Disk. "I promise you this, Giyan," stated Yami, "I will defeat the Warrior of Balance, despite its great strength. In case you haven't noticed, Slifer is still stronger than the Warrior of Balance."  
  
"Just a minor detail that I'll take care of now," said Giyan simply, "now I shall end this duel! I activate another one of the Warrior of Balance's effects! By paying all but 1 of my Life Points, I can place my entire deck into my graveyard, giving the Warrior of Balance (13000/13000) a power unmatched even by the Gods!" Giyan ejected his deck from his Duel Disk and barely managed to stuff it in the smaller graveyard slot, but then he ordered the Warrior forth again, "Warrior of Balance, strike down Slifer the Sky Dragon and end this duel!" The Warrior of Balance raised his sword, which now crackled with energy, and flew towards Slifer. Striking with the dark blade, he beheaded the God and landed in a crouch, the sinuous body coiling onto the ground behind him. "You have lost, Pharaoh."  
  
"Not quite," said Yami, who now gritted his teeth while sweating profusely, "I discarded Kuriboh (Warrior of Balance-13500/13500), negating all damage to my Life Points from the Warrior of Balance."  
  
Giyan: 1 Yami: 1500  
  
Giyan scowled, "Then take your turn."  
  
"I shall," Yami replied as he drew, then grinned, "I win."  
  
Giyan burst into laughter, "Oh really, Pharaoh, I know you've gotten out of some pretty tight spots before, but there is no possible way you can win now."  
  
"Oh really?" Yami played a card, "well, I play Monster Reborn, reviving the Summoned Skull that I discarded when I played Card Destruction." The horned demon skeleton emerged from the ground, flexing its claws menacingly.  
  
"That's it?" this time Giyan didn't laugh, he just stared in disbelief.  
  
"Not quite," said Yami, "now I play Metamorphosis on Summoned Skull." The demon fell to the ground and twitched wildly. It began to shrink, and from the bones emerged flesh and armor. The Summoned Skull eventually turned into a man covered in red and black armor. He carried an orange-bladed short sword and a shield decorated with a strange red symbol. "Behold, by play Metamorphosis on the Summoned Skull, I have Special Summoned the Dark Flare Knight (2200/800) (Warrior of Balance-14000/14000) from my Fusion Deck!"  
  
"That thing's even weaker than the Summoned Skull," said Giyan, "by playing Metamorphosis, you've simply given me a further 800-point advantage."  
  
"Yu-I mean Yami must be nuts!" yelled Tristan, "What's he planning?"  
  
"You have a pretty poor memory, Tristan," said Serenity, "remember when Yugi and Joey dueled the Big Five to get your body back?"  
  
"Oh, you're right!" Tristan realized, "Yami just won!"  
  
Giyan cocked an eyebrow at the two but reverted his attention to Yami as the Pharaoh yelled out, "Dark Flare Knight, attack the Warrior of Balance!" The Dark Flare Knight lunged at the much-more-powerful Warrior of Balance, who easily dispatched it with a flick of its light blade.  
  
"You really are acting foolish, Pharaoh," said Giyan, "you've just committed suicide."  
  
"If that's what you think, Giyan," replied Yami with a grin, "then just check my Life Points." Yami then held up his Duel Disk so that Giyan could see the number. 1500.  
  
"How?" said Giyan in confusion, "The Warrior of Balance has 11800 more attack points than the Dark Flare Knight!"  
  
"The Dark Flare Knight protects me from any Battle Damage that he receives," Yami explained simply, "however, he also Special Summon the Mirage Knight (2800/2000) (Warrior of Balance-14500/14500) in his place." Where the Dark Flare Knight had been now stood a man covered in golden armor, a blue cape drawn about his shoulders. He carried a great golden, double-bladed scythe.  
  
"Again with these weak monsters, Pharaoh," said Giyan, his voice dripping with sarcasm.  
  
"The Mirage Knight has an effect you should know about, Giyan," Yami said as he ordered the Knight forth, "he gains the base attack of any monster he does battle with."  
  
Giyan's eyes bulged as he realized he was in deep shit. The Mirage Knight (17300/17300) flew at the Warrior of Balance, seeming to split into six different knights that all flew forth in a group. The Warrior of Balance struck five of the knights, leaving the real one. But the real one managed to swing its scythe and wound the Warrior's side. The Warrior of Balance then vanished and Giyan fell to his knees.  
  
Giyan: 0 Yami: 1500  
  
Term grumbled as he dug some money out of his pocket and shoved it into Joey's hand. The teen grinned at his prize, then ran up to Yugi (who Yami had given control to) and gave him a nuggie. Giyan stepped up to Yugi, his face a picture of disappointment and shame. "I am sorry, Yugi," he said, "I acted cruel during our duel. I said things that should not have been said. However, I did so because I knew I had to win."  
  
"It's just a game, Giyan," Yugi replied, "you can't get so caught up in it."  
  
"There are things about this tournament that caused me to attempt to defeat you," Giyan replied, "I cannot inform you of them, though. It is best that you not know." Before Yugi could question him, Giyan walked off and Cerberus made an announcement.  
  
"The third duel of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament shall commence immediately! Seto Kaiba and Kevin Hunter, report to the dueling arena!"  
  
That's it, the twentieth chapter. I like twenty. It's a good, round, even number. Anyways, next time its Kevin v. Kaiba, so I'm sure a certain reader will be happy that his submitted character gets a shot at winning a Blue Eyes. But what lies ahead? What is Giyan talking about? Why do I ask these questions now...? 


	21. Battle for the Blue Eyes

A few review responses, because you guys are the reason I stuck with this story for seventy thousand words.  
  
Blue-Eyes White Knight: Um, okay, don't take one of my numerous jobs during the show from me. I pay myself five cents a word to say that closing speech (What? You think I act that sappy for FREE?).  
  
Time Mage: Yeah, I figured I needed a reason to get Giyan so worked up, so I looked and looked and eventually came up with what Gym Rat did: Yami always wins because of destiny! No fair!  
  
The Helldragon: Sorry, but I'm not a good artist, especially not Japanese animation. I can do abstract or modern art, maybe, but not anime art. Plus, there's probably no other way I could help out.  
  
Capito Celcior: If you were to read the reviews, you would find that Arkana (through Yoshimo's reviews) begged to be put into the story. Not wanting to put the Rare Hunters in the story, I ignored him. However, Arkana's efforts apparently doubled after I had Rebecca briefly mention getting a card from Rare Hunter (the Exodia guy). Thus, I shut him up by having him beat like a piñata.  
  
Yoshimo: The one scene that I mentioned was in chapter 7 of Rise of a 2: Duelist Kingdom, Take 2! In said chapter, the scene is when Moria gets kidnapped by Yami Bakura and hung over a cliff. The rest of your stuff is covered up by comedy, even Moria's loss to Kaiba. (I took about five minutes of research to uncover that )...I'm getting addicted to smiley- faces, kill me now!  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Twenty-One: Battle for the Blue Eyes  
Also Entitled: (Kaiba-) WHY WON'T THIS GUY DIE!?  
  
"Let's get this over with," said Kaiba silently as he walked onto the arena. Kevin did the same at the opposite end. "You might as well step out now, kid," sneered Kaiba as he activated his Duel Disk, "I have more important matters to deal with than to just play a simple game with the likes of you."  
  
"Don't just brush me aside like some common duelist," Kevin shot back as he shuffled his deck before placing it in his Duel Disk, "you're the sole reason I came to this tournament, and I'm not about to leave this place without my prize."  
  
Kaiba cocked an eyebrow and smirked a little, "You actually plan to walk away from this with a prize? There's no possible way you can win!"  
  
"Don't get too confident, Kaiba," said Kevin with a grin as he drew six cards, "ever since I started playing Duel Monsters, I've wanted one card, the Blue Eyes White Dragon. That card is the single greatest Dragon is the entire game, but only four exist. I intend to get one here and now."  
  
Kaiba chuckled as he drew his own hand, "Then let's get started."  
  
Kaiba: 4000 Kevin: 4000  
  
"Go get him, Seto!" cried Mokuba as he jumped up and down, cheering his brother on." Kaiba allowed himself to smile slightly as he watched his opponent take his turn.  
  
"I'll start this duel off with a monster in defense mode," declared Kevin as he placed the card on his Duel Disk. He followed this action up by placing two more cards in the Spell/Trap slots, "Next, I'll place two cards facedown. Your move."  
  
Kaiba grinned as he drew his card, "Just as I thought. You don't even have the nerve to put out a monster in attack mode."  
  
"It's wiser to start in defense," said Kevin, "I know how strong your monsters are, I'm no fool."  
  
"The words of a coward," said Kaiba as he placed a card on his Duel Disk, "now I'll destroy your monster! I summon Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1650)!" The blue-and-purple-armored warrior of the sea appeared, trident held ready. "Kaiser Sea Horse," commanded Kaiba, "attack!" The armored beast threw its trident at Kevin's facedown monster, revealing it to be a purple beast with a horn growing from where its head should be. Twin dragon necks mounted on serpentine necks hung from its shoulders. The Kaiser Sea Horse's trident plunged into the beast's torso, causing it to cry out in pain and vanish.  
  
"Looks like you didn't accomplish much," said Kevin with a slight grin, "the Twin-Headed Behemoth (1500/1200) will only be revived as soon as I draw my next card."  
  
Kaiba frowned and placed another couple cards into his Duel Disk, "Not that it matters; your pathetic dragon will only be weaker when it comes back. Now I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."  
  
Kevin drew, and the Twin-Headed Behemoth (1000/1000) reappeared before him. "It's not the Twin-Headed Behemoth you should be worried about, it's the monster that I'm going to sacrifice for it!" The twin-headed dragon vanished from Kevin's field, and a large, black dragon that had red, armor- like scales on its wrists, ankles, face, neck, and wings appeared in its place. "Behold!" cried Kevin as his new dragon let out a bellow, "Death Volstgulf (2200/1700)! Now, my mighty dragon, destroy the Kaiser Sea Horse!" The long-limbed dragon opened its great maw, allowing a breath of black fire to come from its mouth and fly towards the armored sea warrior.  
  
"You fool," said Kaiba with a cruel grin, "you've just sacrificed your dragon for nothing. I activate Rush Recklessly, boosting Kaiser Sea Horse's attack power by 700 points!" The Kaiser Sea Horse's eyes glowed red, and it leapt forward to meet the attack of the Death Volstgulf.  
  
"Yeah, Seto!" yelled Mokuba as he leapt in celebration, believing his brother would soon take a major lead in the Duel.  
  
"Looks like Kevin's screwed," observed Tristan as the Kaiser Sea Horse began to charge through the flames.  
  
"You're the one who's a fool!" yelled Kevin as his own card flipped up, "I activate my facedown Imperial Order, negating the effects of all Spell cards at the cost of 700 Life Points at each of my standby phases!" The Kaiser Sea Horse's eyes immediately changed back to their normal yellow, and the black flames immediately burned through its armor, revealing green skin that was charred and roasted by the flames before the warrior was destroyed. "I'm going to let you in on something, Kaiba," said Kevin with a grin as Kaiba's Life Point Counter dropped significantly, "Every time a Spell card is activated, Death Volstgulf gains 200 attack (2400/1700) for a turn. In addition, every time it destroys a monster, you'll lose a further 500 Life Points!"  
  
Kaiba: 2800 Kevin: 4000  
  
Kaiba snarled as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "Before you can end your turn, I'll activate Dust Tornado, destroying Imperial Order and allowing me to place a card facedown." A whirlwind appeared in the center of the field, sweeping up dust around it as it blew the Imperial Order card away. Then a facedown card replaced the Dust Tornado that had been facedown. "Not only that, but now it's my turn." Kaiba drew and smiled as he activated the card he had played, "Now I activate Raigeki, destroying all of your monsters!" A lightning bolt struck the Death Volstgulf, causing it to bellow in anguish before it exploded.  
  
"This isn't good," Kevin silently muttered as Kaiba continued.  
  
"Now I summon the Lord of Dragons (1200/1500) and attack directly!" the dragon-summoner appeared on the field with a sweep of its long cape, then charged forth and punched Kevin in the face. Kevin fell backwards from the blow, and rubbed his jaw at the point of impact.  
  
Kaiba: 2800 Kevin: 2800  
  
"Yeah! You get him, Seto!" Mokuba continued his one-person cheerleading squad act as the others looked on.  
  
"Go ahead and make your move, Kevin," Kaiba said with a growl, "you just aren't worth my time."  
  
Kevin glared back and drew, "Now I'll increase my options by playing Pot of Greed," he declared as he drew two more cards. He smiled and placed both on his Duel Disk, "Now I play a monster in defense mode and another card facedown."  
  
"My turn then," said Kaiba immediately as he drew a card and placed it on his Duel Disk, "and I'll play my OWN Pot of Greed." The CEO of Kaiba Corps grinned as he proceeded to empty his hand, "First, I play Flute of Summoning Dragon, summoning the first two of my Blue Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500)!" The Flute appeared in the Lord's hand. As the Lord of Dragons blew into the Horn, two of the four greatest dragons ever witnessed appeared above. Both had white scales that shone like diamonds, only slightly tinged blue. Their eyes were like sapphire, and glared intently at Kevin, the one who planned to capture one of them. "That's not all," continued Kaiba, "I also play White Dragon Ritual, sacrificing the Lord of Dragons to summon the Paladin of White Dragon (1900/1200)." A smaller, younger version of the two Blue Eyes White Dragons also appeared, mounted by a blue-armored man who carried a sword that glowed with a brilliant white light.  
  
Kevin seemed in awe rather than fear, "Unbelievable..." he murmured as he gazed at the two large, powerful, fearsome, horrible, majestic, beautiful dragons that stared him down with eyes that glowed with power.  
  
"Now prepare to lose!" cried Kaiba as he thrust out his arm, "Paladin of White Dragon, attack!" The Paladin urged its mount forward, and the blue dragon extended its wings and took flight. The dragon then dive-bombed Kevin's facedown monster, which was revealed to be a gooey purple ball. Multiple small black spikes extended from the ball.  
  
"I activate Shrink!" cried Kevin as one of his remaining facedown cards flipped up, revealing a convex mirror that made the Paladin of White Dragon appear to be only half its true size. The Paladin of White Dragon then shrank to half its size. "That will cut your Paladin's attack strength in half (950/1200)!" As the dragon nearly collided with the sphere, the Paladin swung its glowing sword, ripping a hole in the bulbous thing. Globs of gunk then flew everywhere as the sphere burst.  
  
"It seems that your little plan to protect your pathetic excuse for a monster failed," mocked Kaiba, "and now you'll pay for your monster's weak defense. The Paladin of White Dragon deals damage even when your monsters are in defense mode."  
  
"Maybe," consented Kevin as a grin crossed his face, "but YOU take 500 Life Points from the Giant Germ's (1000/100) effect! Plus, I get to summon two more from my deck in attack mode!" Two more of the bulbous spheres appeared in front of Kevin.  
  
Kaiba: 2300 Kevin: 1950  
  
"You're a fool!" cried Kaiba as he pointed at Kevin, "You've simply provided some more targets for my Blue Eyes to attack! Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack with White Lightning!" One of the two immense dragons opened its great maw, and white electricity crackled between the jaws before launching at one of the twin Giant Germs.  
  
"I activate Waboku!" cried Kevin as a trio of blue-robed priestesses suddenly appeared between the dragons and the germs. The White Lightning crackled to stop before them.  
  
"You truly are a fool," said Kaiba with a frown, "you could have activated Waboku at the beginning of my turn and protected your Life Points."  
  
But Kevin grinned back, "Yeah, but I got two more Giant Germs for it, didn't I?"  
  
Kaiba scowled, realizing Kevin had used him. Still, he had just dealt 850 Life Points and he could just keep attacking with the Paladin of White Dragon. Plus, with the Paladin back at its original strength, it would take a maximum of two turns to finish Kevin off completely.  
  
Kevin drew and smiled as he set the new card into his Duel Disk, "I set a card facedown, and then switch both my Giant Germs to defense mode. That's all for now."  
  
Kaiba smirked as he drew. It was over now! As soon as the two Germs were gone, any of his monsters could attack directly and finish Kevin off. "Prepare to lose! Paladin of White Dragon, attack the Giant Germ on the left!" The Paladin once again spurred its dragon mount forward. This time, however, a barrier sprung up in the Paladin's path, causing its mount to bounce backward.  
  
"Negate Attack," Kevin said briefly as he watched Kaiba's frustration surface.  
  
[This kid should have lost by now!] Kaiba mentally screamed, [How can some obvious amateur like this possibly be able to survive two of my Blue Eyes?] Angrily, he grabbed the Paladin of White Dragon off of his Duel Disk and tossed it into the graveyard, "You asked for it, Hunter!" He then searched through his deck until he found what he was looking for, and placed it on his Duel Disk, "Allow me to introduce you to the Paladin of White Dragon's second effect! By sacrificing it, I am allowed to Special Summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon to my field directly from my deck!" The third and final Blue Eyes White Dragon appeared between its brethren with a mighty bellow. The three dragons then lowered their heads to Kevin's level and glared at him menacingly. Kevin stared back with a look of eagerness. "Now, prepare to face the ultimate dragon!" Kaiba continued as he slapped the final card in his hand into his Duel Disk, "I play Polymerization, fusing all three of my Blue Eyes White Dragons to summon the unstoppable Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3500)!" The three great dragons began to merge together, the central dragon remaining where it stood as the other two melded into it. When the fusion was done, a single Dragon's body remained, and atop it were the three heads of the dragons fused into it. "You may have survived the first assault, Hunter," declared Kaiba, "but on my next turn, my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon will wreck your defense and strike you down!"  
  
"Talk is cheap, Kaiba," said Kevin calmly, despite the fact that a three- headed monstrosity was on the verge of blasting right into him, "a true duelist speaks with his actions. It was those actions that got me here. I worked hard to have this opportunity to get a Blue Eyes White Dragon. You, on the other hand, bought and traded your way to get three of them. To me, that doesn't seem all too fair. But now I'm going to win one of those dragons. And here's how I'll do it." Kevin placed a card into his Duel Disk, and a strange bronze object appeared before him. It seemed to be a small trophy. Extending from opposite ends of the stand were claw-like decorations. Near the top of the award a round blue gem was set. An orange depiction of a dragon's head being stabbed by a sword decorated the gem.  
  
"What do you call that thing?" Kaiba said in a bored tone.  
  
"It's the Emblem of Dragon Destroyer," said Kevin as he pulled his deck from his Duel Disk and searched through it.  
  
"It doesn't seem to be doing anything to destroy a dragon," Kaiba taunted.  
  
"It's purpose is not to destroy, but to create," said Kevin as he picked a card from his deck and added it to his hand before replacing his deck. "More specifically, it will create the mighty slayer of dragons," he held the card up for Kaiba to see, and the millionaire gasped as he saw that Kevin held, "the Buster Blader!" Kevin then plucked his two Giant Germs off his Duel Disk and replaced them with the more powerful warrior, "Now, Buster Blader (2600/2300), come forth and strike down the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" The mighty armored warrior stepped forward, light glinting off its purple armor as well as the bronze lining. The Buster Blader's (4600/2300) sword glowed as the energy from Kaiba's four dragons on his field and in his graveyard were transferred through the multiple blue gems that were set into the warrior's immense sword. The Buster Blader leapt forward and swung the huge blade, cleaving off one of the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's heads and bringing the hydra-like dragon to the ground. The dragon then exploded in a huge burst of light.  
  
Kaiba: 2200 Kevin: 1950  
  
"No..." moaned Mokuba softly as he saw his brother's dragon fall.  
  
Kaiba himself fell to one knee in shock. Sweat was beaded on his forehead and locks of his neatly-combed brown hair stuck to the now heavily- perspired surface. "You'll pay for my dragon's death," Kaiba growled as he pulled himself to his feet and grabbed a card off his Duel Disk. "Now I play Graceful Charity, which will allow me to draw three cards at the cost of discarding two immediately afterwards."  
  
"I know what it does, Kaiba," Kevin said with a glare, "I'd think you'd have learned not to underestimate me by now."  
  
Kaiba scowled back and drew his three cards. After a bit of consideration, he took two of them and slipped them into his graveyard, "One of the cards I discarded is coming right back. I remove Kaiser Sea Horse and the Lord of Dragons from my graveyard to Special Summon the Chaos Emperor Dragon-Envoy of the End (3000/2500) (Buster Blader-5100/2300)!" The immense, green- plated dragon appeared in front of Kaiba before immediately disappearing, "But that's not all. I then sacrifice Chaos Emperor Dragon to summon a monster in defense mode."  
  
"Oh my Lord!" yelled Joey as he saw the horizontal card appear before Kaiba, "Kaiba just played defense! Hell musta froze over!"  
  
"Things do look grim for Kaiba," said Yugi, "but there is a way he could win."  
  
"I summon Luster Dragon (1900/1000)!" yelled out Kevin as the sapphire- coated dragon appeared, "Now, I'll destroy you defense monster and then attack directly with Buster Blader to win the duel!" The human-sized dragon emitted a blast of energy from its mouth, striking Kaiba's facedown monster.  
  
"Say hello to Twilight Zone Dragon (1200/1500) (Buster Blader (5600/2300)!" Kaiba cried as his monster was revealed to be a plump green dragon with a serpentine neck and head and four wings. "Twilight Zone Dragon might appear weak, but it is invulnerable to attacks by monsters with 1900 attack or more!" Kevin simply frowned as Kaiba drew, contemplating how to get around the dragon. However, Kaiba laughed aloud and played the card he drew immediately, "I play Monster Reborn, reviving the second monster I discarded to Graceful Charity!" The great blue monstrosity that rose from the ground caused Kevin to gasp as he realized it was all over. "Obelisk the Tormentor (4000/4000), destroy his pathetic Luster Dragon!" Obelisk swung forth his immense fist, crushing the Luster Dragon into the ground. As the holograms faded, Obelisk began to lift its fist back up, revealing the crushed scales and bones of the dragon it had slaughtered. The dragon's strange internal fluids were pooled at the area.  
  
Kaiba: 2200 Kevin: 0  
  
Kevin dropped to his knees and pounded the ground with his fist. He had been so close! Kaiba had been locked into a corner, and the Buster Blader had been moving in for the kill. He should have won. Now all his work had been for nothing, all because he had put out the weak dragon.  
  
Kaiba stepped out of the arena without a word, and Kevin got to his feet and left after him.  
  
Cerberus called up the next duel without pausing, "The fourth match of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament Finals will begin now! Term and Shaun, please report to the dueling arena!"  
  
Well, it took me long enough to post this thing. Now, I am going to go sleep, as it is nearly 11 now. Stick around for the next chapter, where the aggressive Term takes on the mysterious Shaun. 


	22. Insanity

Before we begin, a few review responses!  
  
Time Mage: Had Kaiba used CED's effect, Kevin would have had 250 Life Points left, and Kaiba would have been out of options. Thus, Kevin could have had a free shot at his Life Points. Kaiba would've won anyway, of course.  
  
The Helldragon: Plug in? What is this manga project really? Is it a way to enter the Matrix (speaking of which no one but Gym Rat's checked my Matrix fic out yet...)?  
  
michael-91 (whenever you catch up): What is wrong with you, man? DON'T TELL ME WHAT THE HELL TO DO WITH MY STORY!  
  
Yoshimo: As this chapter proves, characters are only mysterious so long as no one gets close enough to observe them. Then it turns out that they're just plain weird; or, possibly, insane.  
  
You ever notice how Garfield can speak and Odie can't?  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Twenty-Two: Insanity  
Also Entitled: No...friggin'...way.  
  
Term stepped into the dueling arena confidently. He shuffled his deck while staring down his opponent, who looked back with a grin. Term noticed that Shaun's Duel Disk was attached to his right arm, rather than his left; this left Term to believe that Shaun was left-handed. Shaun acted quite strangely then, as the prismatic effects of the holographic projectors of the arena caught his eye. He proceeded to stare at the rainbow of colors whilst muttering, "Ooh...pretty colors..."  
  
Both duelists were jarred from their thoughts by Cerberus's declaration that the duel was to begin. Shaun immediately drew six cards, while Term drew five.  
  
Shaun: 4000 Term: 4000  
  
Shaun laughed gleefully in a childish manner, though the laugh sounded rather goofy. Term quirked an eyebrow at Shaun's behavior. "I'll just set three cards facedown and end my turn."  
  
Term raised an eyebrow as he wondered why in the world Shaun hadn't summoned a monster. He must have has some confidence in his Traps to just put out those three cards as protection. But as Term drew, he grinned as he saw an immense flaw in his opponent's strategy, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon, which will destroy the card in the middle!" A cyclone sprang from the card that Term had played. The black wind extended towards Shaun's middle card, but the card to the left suddenly flipped up and a yellow circle of light appeared below the Mystical Space Typhoon, dispersing it.  
  
"Nice try, but I activated Magic Jammer," Shaun explained briefly as he discarded a card due to his Trap's cost.  
  
"That won't save you!" cried Term as he slapped a monster down, "I set a card facedown, then summon the Battle Ox and attack you directly!" The huge armored minotaur appeared, its large axe extended outwards. The bull-human then charged at Shaun with its axe held high, prepared to deal a mighty blow to Term's opponent. Before the minotaur could strike, however, a barrier swept upwards around Shaun, causing the Battle Ox to practically break its muzzle as it was unable to stop its charge.  
  
"Rushing into an attack, tsk tsk," Shaun said with that same silly smile on his face, "I simply activated Negate Attack, the card I defended with my Magic Jammer." Term frowned as his turn ended, then watched Shaun draw. The young duelist simply added the card he had drawn to his hand and looked back up at Term, "I end my turn."  
  
CUE ANIME SPLIT-SCREEN SHOT WHERE ALL THE PEOPLE STARE IN SHOCK AND GO "Huh?!"  
  
Term swiped another card off his Duel Disk and set it down immediately, "I summon one of my most powerful monsters, the Xarian Universe (1800/1900)!" A centaur with the legs of a brown horse and a green humanoid torso appeared beside the Battle Ox. The Xarian Universe's upper body was partially covered with neon-blue armor, and its left hand covered by a clawed gauntlet. In its right hand the centaur carried a glaive that was bladed at both ends. "Prepare to lose! I activate Dust Tornado, destroying your facedown card and paving the way for both my monsters to attack directly!" The tornado swept away Shaun's card immediately, but still three robed women appeared, warning away Term's monsters.  
  
"Even though you targeted it to be destroyed, I can still activate Waboku," said Shaun briefly, "now I'll be safe from your attack for the remainder of the turn."  
  
Term grimaced before continuing, "Then I set a card facedown, and end my turn."  
  
Shaun continued to smile as he drew, "I start by playing Pot of Greed, so now I'll get two more cards." His smile widened as he continued, "Now I set a monster in defense mode and a card facedown."  
  
"So you choose NOW to play monsters," said Term, his hands shaking with the frustration of being unable to deal damage to his opponent. He angrily swiped a card off his deck. The card made him grin a bit before he played it, "Prepare to feel some pain! I play Wild Nature's Release, which will add the attack and defense points of one of my Beast-Warriors together! Now my Xarian Universe (3700/1900) has a power that will easily crush you!" The centaur began to shake violently, and the eyes that were shaded by its helmet blazed like fire. "That's not all," continued Term, "now I activate Xarian Universe's special ability, sacrificing 400 points from its attack to deal damage to you even when it attacks a defense-mode monster (Xarian Universe: 3300/1900)! Now, my beast, attack his monster!" The centaur charged forward at Shaun's monster, which flipped up to reveal a ball of metal tubes with a flat blue face and a single green eye before the Xarian Universe struck it with its gauntlet. However, as the ball was destroyed, a javelin struck the centaur, and both of Term's monsters were destroyed.  
  
Shaun: 4700 Term: 4000  
  
"What the Hell just happened," Term spat angrily.  
  
"First, I activated Enchanted Javelin, giving me Life Points equal to Xarian Universes attack," explained Shaun, showing his card to Term, "then Cyber Jar's (900/700) effect activated, destroying all monsters on the field. Not only that, but now each of us draw five cards and play any level 4 or below monsters that we draw." He and Term both plucked the top five cards off their decks, and Shaun placed two monsters in defense mode.  
  
"I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight (1800/1000) in attack mode," stated Term as the armored warrior appeared. "And don't forget, it's still my Battle Phase, so now Gearfried can attack!" The Iron Knight stampeded one of Shaun's monsters, which flipped up to reveal a black bear before the knight cleaved it apart with its twin blades.  
  
Shaun's smile continued to grow as he stated, "Mother Grizzly (1400/1000) allows me to Special Summon a Water monster with 1500 or less attack when she is destroyed." Shaun then ejected his deck from his Duel Disk and flipped through it until he came across his monster, then summoned it, "I choose Catapult Turtle (1000/2000)." The machine turtle appeared, the launching mechanism pointed directly at Term.  
  
"My turn isn't over yet," declared Term as he played another card, "I now play Cost Down, discarding a card from my hand to decrease the sacrifice level of this:," he sacrificed Gearfried and the blade-bearing jackal appeared, "behold! Anubis's paladin, the Mystical Knight of Jackal (2700/1200)! I may not be able to attack now, but I'm coming for you on my next turn."  
  
"We'll see about that," replied Shaun as he drew. As soon as he saw the card, he broke out into laughter again, but this time a bit of insanity rang through his chuckle.  
  
"What's so funny?" asked Term as he scowled.  
  
"This," Shaun flipped his facedown monster up, revealing a small brown rodent, "I flip Bubonic Vermin, allowing me to Special Summon another of its kin facedown to the field." Beside the rat, a facedown monster appeared. "But now I sacrifice both Bubonic Vermin to summon my most powerful monster!" Both the brown rodent and the facedown card vanished, and a white-scaled being appeared, its sapphire eyes glowing and white lightning crackling between its jaws. Term stepped backwards as he gaped at the blue-eyed white monstrosity before him.  
  
"Impossible!" yelled Kaiba, who had remained silent prior to the current moment, "Only four Blue Eyes White Dragons (3000/2500) have ever existed in the world! I have three, and the last one is useless!"  
  
"There were, originally, supposed to have been four," said Shaun quietly as he stared, still smiling, at Term, "but a worker at Illusions Inc. happened to make a few too many. Desperate to hide his mistake, for Pegasus would have punished him severely, he gave this one to me. Luckily for him, I just happened to be passing by."  
  
While everyone else in the room stared in shock at the monster, two people kept to their own thoughts. [Next round I'll be facing the winner of this Duel, and they'll have that Blue Eyes], thought Kaiba, [once I've won that duel, I'll tear that card in half and burn it!]  
  
[That card shouldn't even exist], thought Nick as he leaned against the wall, his one visible eyes closed, [you shouldn't be flashing that card around like that, Shaun].  
  
"Time to end this," declared Shaun, "I'll now power up my Blue Eyes White Dragon with Bright Castle and Dragon Treasure, giving him an attack power of 4000!" A white castle and a green round jewel appeared behind the Blue Eyes White Dragon, and it roared out a challenge to the Mystical Knight of Jackal. "Now I play Harpie's Feather Duster, destroying all your Spell and Trap cards!" Term's single facedown card, Magic Cylinder, was blown away by a gust from the Duster.  
  
[Sorry, Rerecros], thought Term, [I couldn't use Magic Cylinder well enough].  
  
"Now to end this!" cried Shaun with a wave of his arm, "Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack with White Lightning!" The lightning that the dragon had shown off before crackled to life again, and a stream of it blasted away the Mystical Knight of Jackal. "Catapult Turtle, attack directly!" The Turtle launched a stream of energy from its turret, taking out another chunk of Term's Life Points and bowling him over.  
  
Shaun: 4700 Term: 1700  
  
"It's not over yet!" cried Term as he stood back up and prepared to start his turn.  
  
"Actually, it is," said Shaun simply, "because now I sacrifice Blue Eyes White Dragon to have him launched at you and deal you 2000 direct damage!" The Blue Eyes flew onto the Catapult Turtle's turret, and several mechanical whirs were heard as the Turtle prepared to fire. The Blue Eyes White Dragon let out a roar as it was thrust forward by the Turtle. In a tremendous white explosion, the dragon made contact with Term and bowled him head over heels.  
  
Shaun: 4700 Term: 0  
  
The holograms of the duel faded, and Term struggled to his feet again. Shaun stepped forward and offered his hand in sportsmanship. Term accepted it in a friendly shake, and the two walked off the arena.  
  
[The fool!] Kaiba screamed in his head, [he just sacrificed a Blue Eyes White Dragon to a pathetic turtle! When we duel, I'll teach him to use a Blue Eyes White Dragon properly!]  
  
"Now that that little shock is out of the way," declared Cerberus, "the fifth duel of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament Finals will begin! Yamato and Zachary Kiselob, report to the dueling arena!"  
  
So, Shaun somehow has a Blue Eyes White Dragon, whilst humor has once again been left out of the chapter, unless you found Shaun to be funny (I find the real Shaun to be hilarious). Shaun is a good friend of mine and is the reason I started writing fanfiction. He's also one of the funniest guys I know. Here's to you, man! (Holds up a Vanilla Coke and chugs it down). 


	23. War Tactics

Sorry for lateness. My school year's over, but I just had finals, so I could hardly do any work on this chapter for a week. Then there was all the celebration for school being over. I had to go to my cousin's graduation ceremony, which took up almost the whole day. Then, almost immediately afterwards, my family went to see "Shrek 2." Thus, I have missed a lot of writing time.  
  
The Helldragon: Hey, it wasn't MY idea! Shaun came up with the whole thing by himself, and I always find it hard to argue with him because, honestly, he kind of frightens me. While we get along quite well, he somehow gets what he wants. Having been unable to communicate with Shaun for quite a while now up until briefly recently, I was unable to squeeze a better reason out of him. As for Insect Queen, I'll just wait until you've got it up and running before giving out the word.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Twenty-Three: War Tactics  
Also Entitled: Modern v. Medieval  
  
Kevin Hunter pounded his fist into the wall just outside the room of the Finals. [IT'S NOT FAIR] he mentally screamed as he took out his anger on the very much unlucky wall. [Kaiba bought and traded his way to three Blue Eyes and now this guy just happens to get one for free!?] Kevin's next blow cracked a small part of the wall. [After this tournament's over, that guy goes down!]  
  
-...back in the finals room...-  
  
Zachary: 4000 Yamato: 4000  
  
"I'll begin this duel by setting two cards facedown," began Yamato as he set the two cards into his Duel Disk, "and I'll also summon a monster in defense mode."  
  
Zachary smiled as he drew. "You have a rather poor starting strategy," he commented.  
  
"How is that?" Yamato asked in an even tone.  
  
"You put a monster in defense so that you wouldn't lose Life Points if I attacked it," stated Zachary, "That's not only a poor strategy, it's a sign of cowardice."  
  
"I disagree," replied Yamato, "by putting a monster in defense, I not only protect my Life Points, I also hide its strength, giving me the element of surprise."  
  
Zachary frowned, "Is that what you really think? It is becoming more and more apparent to me tat you know little about the game of Duel Monsters, or battle in general, for that matter. Wars are not won simply by defending over and over again. Counter-assaults must be launched in order for the defender to win."  
  
"For now, defense will work for me," Yamato stated.  
  
"Oh, really?" Zachary replied with a grin, "Then obviously you need a lesson or two about fighting wars. First, the army must be amassed, which I'll do by playing Reinforcement of the Army, allowing me to put a Warrior of Level 4 or less into my hand. Next, troops must be mobilized, so I summon the Marauding Captain (1200/400) in attack mode!" An armored man with messy blonde hair appeared. A red cape was slung on his soldiers, and he wielded a pair of swords, the one in his right hand slightly smaller than the one in his right. "Marauding Captain's effect allows me to summon a Warrior of Level 4 or lower from my hand when he's summoned, so say hello to the Exiled Force (1000/1000)!" A group of armored men appeared, each carrying a different weapon.  
  
"Your monsters appear to be quite weak," commented Yamato as he peered at the two Warriors that Zachary had summoned in quick succession.  
  
"Strength is not always important in battle," replied Zachary, "I activate the Exiled Force's effect! By sacrificing the Force, I can destroy any card on the field, so say goodbye to your defense monster!" The Exiled Force vanished from the field, and Yamato's facedown monster was immediately destroyed as well. "Another thing you should know about war is that sometimes the battles between the few can decide the outcome. Thus, it is important for individuals to become stronger. So now I equip the Marauding Captain with Axe of Despair, giving him an additional 1000 attack points! Marauding Captain (2200/400) strike him down!" The immense axe appeared in the Captain's hands in place of his swords. The soldier then rushed towards Yamato and dealt him an immense blow with the Axe. Yamato hardly flinched as he saw the Axe pass through him.  
  
Zachary: 4000 Yamato: 1800  
  
Yamato simply drew his card and continued the duel, not seeming at all to mind the immense slice his Life Points had gone through. "You think you know everything about war," he said as he examined his hand, "yet I would assume you have never witnessed it before. You talk about all the basic strategies that are used in battle, but I'll tell you about the greatest factor in war: finding your opponent's weaknesses."  
  
"That was pretty simple for me," Zachary said with a grin, "you left yourself wide open for my assault, that's you weakness."  
  
"True, I was unprepared for your move," Yamato admitted, "however, now I'll show you what your weakness is but exploiting your lack of Traps."  
  
"I don't need a Trap right now," Zachary snapped, "you seem not to realize that my Marauding Captain gives me absolute control of the field with his great attack power."  
  
"A true warrior realizes that while his weapon is important in battle, he should not depend upon it," stated Yamato as he played a monster, "so let's see what becomes of your Marauding Captain once I play Cyber Raider, who shall steal his Axe of Despair." The blue robotic warrior appeared in front of Yamato, and immediately launched itself at the Marauding Captain. The Raider took a firm hold of the Axe of Despair and wrestled it away from the Captain after a brief struggle. "Now I shall further increase the power of the Cyber Raider by activating my facedown Metalmorph and equipping it to him." Sleek, silver armor appeared around the Cyber Raider (2700/1000), who now had more than twice the strength of the Marauding Captain (1200/400) that had once been so powerful. "Cyber Raider, show him how the tide of battle can change uncontrollably." The buffed-up robot stampeded towards the Marauding Captain and struck him a tremendous blow (3300/1000) with the Axe of Despair, while also raking him with the claws of the Metalmorph armor.  
  
Zachary: 1900 Yamato: 1800  
  
"Quite a fast-paced duel," remarked Giyan as he looked on.  
  
"This is almost mindless," commented Yugi, "neither of them even appears to be THINKING about defending themselves."  
  
Zachary drew, his eyes blazing with determination as he laid down the Pot of Greed and swiped two more cards off of his deck. After a brief glimpse at them, he immediately placed both the cards he drew into the Spell/Trap slots. His movements were automatic, as if he had been preparing for the moment for hours instead of quickly making the decision to do so. "I play Heavy Storm, blowing away all Spells and Traps on the field!" The immense monsoon appeared in the center of the field, grabbing hold of Yamato's Metalmorph, Axe of Despair, and facedown card and destroying them. Before the tornado had completely vanished, the symbol of Monster Reborn appeared and revived the Marauding Captain. "I then sacrifice my revived Marauding Captain to summon the stronger Freed the Matchless General (2300/1700) to the field!" The Captain vanished, and in his place appeared the taller, mustached Freed. "Freed, destroy his Cyber Raider!" Freed rushed forth and drew his sword. He raised the narrow blade high and brought it down on the Raider's right shoulder, cleaving through the machine's chest all the way to its left hip. The Raider fell into two separate pieces in a flash of sparks and a burst of oil before it vanished completely.  
  
Zachary: 1900 Yamato: 900  
  
"This duel is mine, Yamato," claimed Zachary, "you have no chance. I control the field, and now you don't have any facedown cards to surprise me with. You're finished."  
  
"We'll see," replied Yamato as he plucked off the top card of his deck. He then briefly looked at the card and set it into one of the Spell/Trap slots of his Duel Disk. He then motioned to Zachary that his turn was over.  
  
Zachary chose to use Freed's effect to search through his deck and draw a Warrior of level 4 or less from it. He quickly rifled through his cards and selected one, which he instantly summoned, "Come forth, Zombyra the Dark (2100/500)!" The black-armored warrior emerged with a sweep of its blood- red cape. But Yamato remained calm behind the golden-armored man that had suddenly appeared before him. "What is that?" Zachary asked in confusion.  
  
"While you amassed your army," explained Yamato, "I activated the one thing that's keeping me safe from your monsters: Thunder of Ruler." As Yamato spoke, the man in golden armor drew his sword and thrust it forward, knocking Zombyra and Freed off their feet. "Thunder of Ruler forces you to skip your Battle Phase, so you are unable to even order your Warriors to attack."  
  
Zachary grinded his teeth together and snapped at Yamato, "Then go! Your card will only last one turn, I assume."  
  
"That's correct," admitted Yamato as he drew. He immediately set the new card into one of the Spell/Trap slots of his Duel Disk, and the card appeared in front of him facedown.  
  
"You are relying too much on these single cards," stated Zachary, "in war, individual soldiers cannot decide the outcome." Then he drew, and placed a monster in defense mode. "Now, Zombyra!" he cried as he thrust his finger outward, "Attack directly!" Zombyra leapt forward, his fist held ready to strike Yamato. Suddenly, a barrier of blue light sprung up about Yamato, and Zombyra's fist rebounded off of it. Zachary looked beyond the barrier to discover that Yamato had activated Negate Attack.  
  
"Once again I prove you wrong, Zachary," stated Yamato.  
  
"Then take your turn," replied his opponent, "you can't defend yourself forever."  
  
"No," confessed Yamato as he glanced at the card he had drawn, "I can't. But what I can do is play Change of Heart on your facedown monster." The half-angel, half-demon appeared, and immediately took control of Zachary's defense monster. "Then I sacrifice your monster to summon my strongest monster, the Cyber-Tech Alligator (2500/1600)." The great, scaled machine appeared in place of the facedown card, and let out a great mechanical roar. "Cyber-Tech Alligator, destroy Freed the Matchless General," at Yamato's command, the Alligator expanded its immense wings and took flight, then dive-bombed Freed and tore him to shreds with its sharp bronze claws and powerful silver jaws (hey, that rhymes!).  
  
Zachary: 1700 Yamato: 900  
  
Zachary drew, beads of sweat forming on his brow. When he saw the card he had drawn, he relaxed a bit and played it, "The Swords of Revealing Light will protect me for three turns!" The twenty swords appeared around Yamato, separating he and his monsters completely from Zachary.  
  
"The Swords of Revealing Light have hindered me before," stated Yamato, "but I have never lost a duel because of them." He drew, and simply played the monster he had drawn in defense mode.  
  
Zachary then drew, and grinned, "I have drawn the card that will spell your defeat, Yamato. I play Polymerization, fusing Zombyra the Dark with Maryokutai from my hand to summon The Last Warrior from Another Planet (2350/2300)!" Next to Zombyra, a white skull with a strange red ball attached to its top appeared. Then the two swirled together into a vortex. From the vortex emerged a huge humanoid being, about eight feet tall. Its immense muscles were visible beneath an olive-green skin. On its left shoulder a strange cannon was perched, while its right arm, which was longer than the left, was covered by a mass of metal and tubing that trailed all the way to the ground and ended in a wicked-looking claw. "The Last Warrior from Another Planet will bring about your doom, Yamato, so draw your card and watch as your monsters are shredded!"  
  
"I disagree," stated Yamato, "I'll just summon-"  
  
"You can't!" interrupted Zachary, "The Last Warrior from Another Planet keeps any new monsters from being summoned, which means you'll be utterly defenseless in two turns!"  
  
"Then I'll just end my turn," declared Yamato, "my Cyber-Tech Alligator is still stronger than your Warrior, so currently I have nothing to worry about."  
  
Zachary drew and grinned at Yamato as he played the card, "Well, start worrying. I equip the Last Warrior from Another Planet with the Horn of the Unicorn (3050/3000)!" A bright, golden horn emerged from the center of the Last Warrior's forehead, and a great light blue aura appeared about it. "Last Warrior from Another Planet, destroy the Cyber-Tech Alligator!" The Warrior thrust out its long right arm and grabbed the Cyber-Tech Alligator with its huge claw. The Warrior tightened its grip, crushing through several layers of armor on the Alligator. Then the Warrior pulled the Alligator up close, thrust its shoulder-mounted cannon into the mouth of the reptilian machine, and fired. The Cyber-Tech Alligator's head blew apart, and the winged robot, now headless, fell to the floor and vanished. "This duel's over, Yamato."  
  
Zachary: 1700 Yamato: 150  
  
"It's not over yet, Zachary," declared Yamato as he drew, "now I play Pot of Greed, and draw another two cards." He glanced at the two cards, and calmly played one of them, "Mystical Space Typhoon will rid me of these pesky Swords." A black cyclone appeared around Yamato, and each of the multiple Swords of Revealing Light burst.  
  
Zachary looked confused, "Why get rid of the Swords? I would think you would be more concerned with the Last Warrior from Another Planet."  
  
"You'll see now," Yamato explained, "as I show you perhaps the most important element of war: eliminating your opponent's strengths. I play De- Fusion." The Last Warrior was suddenly torn in half down its middle, and each half transformed into one of the two monsters that had originally been fused. "Now I flip Robotic Knight (1600/1800) into attack mode."  
  
"It doesn't matter that you've defeated my Last Warrior," stated Zachary, "Zombyra can easily destroy that monster, it's so weak."  
  
"I won't have to worry about my Knight fighting Zombyra," said Yamato, "Kinetic Soldier (1350/1800) will take care of him." A blue, humanoid android appeared. It had a green head and a laser cannon mounted on it left shoulder.  
  
"That thing's even weaker," said Zachary, obviously a bit confused.  
  
"As I said," said Yamato, "in war, you have to eliminate your opponent's strengths. That's exactly what Kinetic Soldier will do for me right now, because whenever the Soldier battles a Warrior, it will gain 2000 attack and defense points. So now, Robotic Knight, attack Maryokutai." The British- general-robot trudged towards the mechanical skull and struck with its rapier, slicing through the skull and bringing Zachary's Life Points down to 900. "Now to finish this," said Yamato, "Kinetic Soldier, attack Zombyra the Dark." The Kinetic Soldier (3350/3800) gathered green energy in its shoulder-mounted cannon and released it in an enormous blast at Zombyra, shattering the dark Warrior's skeleton and finishing the duel.  
  
Zachary: 0 Yamato: 150  
  
The Duel Disks and holograms deactivated, and Yamato and Zachary walked towards each other. Yamato offered his hand, and Zachary accepted it in a shake. "You duel well," said Yamato.  
  
"As do you," replied Zachary with a smile, "I hope we will be able to duel again."  
  
Yamato nodded in reply, and the two exited the arena.  
  
"The sixth duel of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament Finals will begin immediately!" declared Cerberus, "Nick and Lin, report to the dueling arena immediately!" Lin stood up with a smile and walked to the arena. Nick followed him after briefly adjusting the thin gray cloth that served as an eye-patch.  
  
So, five duels down, eleven to go. Hope you guys enjoyed this, considering how late it was. 


	24. Broken Sword

First off, I'd like to give a tremendous apology to all of my readers. I should have posted this thing two months ago, but because of multiple circumstances, including getting my wisdom teeth out, preparing for and then taking the test for my Learner's Permit (ye, I can drive, the roads are no longer safe), and just being a lazy bastard in general, I haven't been able to post until now. Considering this is the second-to-last day before school starts for me, I decided I'd better post while I can still choose when to write. However, I have discovered that I work well during the school year, so expect more updates soon.  
  
And now, time for a few review responses.  
  
The Helldragon: Honestly, I had to look up Sun Tzu to understand what you were saying. Of course, as soon as I read the title of his book I remembered it being mentioned in "Bearing a Red Sword" by Piers Anthony.  
  
thegymrat: Well, I sort of wanted it to feel that way, although I'm not sure whether I should take the comparison to the anime as a compliment or an insult, heheh.  
  
Yoshimo: Kinetic Soldier is a promo that was released along with Fairy King Truesdale and Slate Warrior (aka Newt). As for the duel, if you thought that was fast-paced, wait just about (checks watch) two minutes.  
  
Roll the tape!  
  
I can't, it's rectangular.  
  
Tokyo Tournament  
Chapter Twenty-Four: Broken Sword  
Also Entitled: The Plot is Revealed!  
  
Lin grinned as he activated his Duel Disk. Now was the time. He lived for this, to let loose and not hold back. He was in the finals of the tournament, meaning he was up against the best, and he would have to give his.  
  
His opponent, Nick, seemed less excited. Not only did cloths cover more than three quarters of his face, but also his one visible eye showed no emotion. It stared, almost as unblinking as the red decoration on the eye- patch that covered its partner. The remainder of his body did not appear relaxed or tense, and he simply held out his arm unenthusiastically as his Duel Disk activated.  
  
Lin quickly drew six cards, showing that he would take the first turn. Nick drew five in response, and the garb covering his mouth moved slightly. Had the garb been absent, Lin might have been able to read Nick's lips and tell that he had just whispered, "Prepare to be consumed, courageous warrior."  
  
"Alright, let's get this started!" cried Lin enthusiastically as he glimpsed briefly at his hand. Suddenly he noticed that the center of the dueling arena had gone dark, a blotch of some strange purple substance occupying the area. "What the crap?" said Lin as the black and purple splotch expanded across the floor and everywhere else as well. Soon the entire room was enveloped in darkness, leaving all present in shock.  
  
Suddenly, Cerberus fell from the balcony and landed on the floor in a crumpled heap. As he landed, a resounding crack could be heard. Then, a being of darkness, identical to the one that Joey and Mai had seen after their double duel, emerged from Cerberus's body. The body of shadow let out a bellow of laughter and spoke with a voice that struck fear into the hearts of all that heard it, "I grow bored of this meager competition. It's time I raised the stakes a little."  
  
Then the darkness of the Shadow Realm became more focused in multiple areas surrounding the witnesses of the duel. Tea, Serenity, Tristan, Bakura, Mokuba, Joy, Kevin, and Zachary immediately fell to the ground and let out cries of agony. Kirbin stooped to hold up Joy. Giyan clutched his chest in pain. The others, except for Yamato, Term, Lin, and Nick, stood shocked. The remaining four leapt into action, as Lin and Nick charged toward Cerberus, the former with a sword in his left hand that had appeared from nowhere. They were stopped at the wall of the arena as a black force field held them in. Yamato drew a pair of large pistols and opened fire on the dark being. Term leapt through the air at the figure, blades suddenly sprouting along his whole body.  
  
The being simply laughed louder as Yamato's bullets passed through its apparently nonsolid body. Term landed in a crouch and attempted to rake his newly formed claws across the being, but they passed through it just as Yamato's bullets had.  
  
The darkness lifted what passed as an arm and pointed it at Term, who was immediately hoisted into the air by some unseen force. "An interesting life- form," spoke the darkness, "a soul not quite human, but not animal either. Too bad such a unique being will have to die now. I would have liked to experiment and see if it could have been copied." The then darkness waved its arm again, and the Shadow Realm refocused on Term, who cried out in pain as his soul began to tear apart. "Those that came before me all made a common mistake," mused the darkness, "they chose to trap their enemies in the Shadow Realm rather than kill them. Such sentimental fools."  
  
Term looked at the darkness with a look of hatred mixed with pain and spat into the face of shadow. The face shaped itself into a scowl and the darkness spoke again, "For that little action, I'll just make sure you are the first to die at the hands of Youkai." And with that, Youkai formed his right arm into a blade and reared back to cut into Term's very soul. As the blade swung, Youkai suddenly howled in pain as currents of what appeared to be electricity ran through his body.  
  
Youkai reeled around to face his attacker, who turned out to be the large Yamato that had just attempted to shoot him. Yamato had apparently removed one of his gloves and pressed a small jewel into Youkai's back. This jewel was radiating an immense light. Upon closer inspection, it would be obvious that the hand that held the jewel was not made of flesh. Youkai let out a cry of fury and slashed Yamato across his chest. Yamato was knocked backwards by the blow, his trench coat torn almost in half, revealing a chest made entirely of metal. Youkai then focused more of the Shadow Realm around Yamato, causing even him to cry in pain. Youkai became calm, and he proceeded to take pleasure in killing almost everyone in the room.  
  
Then, as suddenly as Shadow had covered the room, a bright light filled it, and all traces of darkness disappeared momentarily. Then the light faded, and Youkai erupted in fury as he looked about erratically for the cause of the flash. He didn't have to look for long, as Giyan stepped forward challengingly, the twin-bladed sword of the Warrior of Balance held high in his hands. But then Giyan suddenly collapsed, exhausted from the tremendous exertion of filling the room with light.  
  
Youkai grinned and focused the Shadow Realm on Giyan as well as those he had done so on before. "I must commend you, Guardian," he said in a statement directed apparently to Nick, "you chose bodyguards for the Pharaoh quite well. A manipulator of Light and Dark, who just now prevented me from killing anyone through Shadow powers with that last effort of his. A robot with a soul, a half-human, and one with eight souls inhabiting his body to give me difficulties in separating their souls from their bodies. Although I am not sure what the swordsman's purpose was."  
  
"You'll have to wait to find out when we defeat you," replied Nick.  
  
Youkai laughed in disbelief, "Take a look around, Guardian. There are only three of you left, two once one of you wins that duel. The pink-haired boy won't do any good now that he's weeping over that girl. Not one of you alone stands a chance against me alone. So, stop trash talking and get on with the tournament. I'd like the Pharaoh's Puzzle as soon as possible."  
  
Nick tore his glare from Youkai and looked about the room to see that the being was right: Kirbin was in a world that consisted only of he and the body of Joy. However, Youkai was also wrong in his statement. Kirbin had seven long-lived entities that would help set him back towards his goal within the hour. Nick just had to hope that was soon enough. Around Kirbin were the shocked faces of Yugi, Joey, Mai, Kaiba, Mike, and Kai. The final two were in shock, but the others were doing as Kirbin was, mourning over the fallen. Joey and Kaiba clutched their younger siblings close, and felt the familiar pain of loss. Mai was trying to comfort Joey, and Yugi's face was a mixture of sorrow and fury. The Puzzle was glowing a brilliant gold. Nick knew that right now, Youkai was wallowing in their pain, but he also knew that soon that pain would be eclipsed by rage.  
  
Nick turned to Lin, and, while attempting and nearly succeeding not to choke, said, "Lin, take your turn."  
  
"With pleasure," Lin quickly snatched several cards out of his hand and laid them on the field with vigor fueled by anger, "I'll begin by summoning the Hayabusa Knight (1000/700) in attack mode!" The humanoid bird warrior leapt out of the Shadows and landed in front of Lin, its rapier ready. The bird stared down Nick, who met its gaze calmly. "I'll also place two cards facedown, and then end my turn."  
  
Nick drew calmly, and examined all six cards in his hand before playing one quickly, "I play Card Destruction, forcing us to discard our hands and draw new ones." He quickly pressed his five cards into his graveyard, and Lin did the same with his three. Then both looked over their new hands and mentally formed strategies to screw their opponent over with. "Now I shall begin my assault! First I remove one Fire monster from my graveyard so that I can Special Summon the Inferno (1100/1900) from my hand!" The ghostly image of a Great Angus appeared, then burst into flames. The flames quickly began to manifest into the head of some sort of creature. Twin sapphire eyes appeared in the face of flames, and it opened its mouth to reveal it to be full of human skulls.  
  
"What the Hell is that?" Lin cried in surprise as the flames grew taller, as if the beast were rearing back to strike.  
  
"It is the very personification of flame," stated Nick, "just as fire can inflict extremely serious injuries to a victim, the Inferno can cause extreme damage to its opponent's Life Points even if it bests an opposing monster by a miniscule amount. Now, I ply Shield and Sword, reversing the attacks and defenses of our monsters (Hayabusa Knight: 700/1000, Inferno: 1900/1100)! Now, I'll have Inferno roast your bird!" The beast of flame charged forward and engulfed the Hayabusa Knight, melting through armor and burning feathers. Eventually, all that remained was a rather large roast chicken (comic relief!), which quickly disappeared.  
  
"I won't allow you to attack without receiving at least some damage in return," stated Lin as one of his two facedown cards flipped up, "so I'll activate Attack and Receive, dealing you 700 points of direct damage!"  
  
Nick: 3300 Lin: 1300  
  
"This duel isn't over yet, Nick," stated Lin, "I have not yet even begun to fight!" He quickly snapped a card off the top of his deck and slapped it on his Duel Disk, "I play Monster Reborn, Special Summoning the Hayabusa Knight (1000/700) in attack mode! Then I equip him with the Lightning Blade, increasing his attack strength by 800 points!" The bird-headed warrior reappeared, its sharp rapier tightly clutched in its talon. The blade of the rapier began to crackle with electricity, and the Knight's attack rose to 1800. "Hayabusa Knight, strike down the Inferno, then attack directly!" The Hayabusa Knight charged forward, bringing the lightning- charged rapier in a sweeping motion that cut through the flames of the Inferno. Then the knight continued on and thrust its blade into Nick's chest, causing him to stumble backwards.  
  
Nick: 800 Lin: 1300  
  
Nick clutched his chest, which was now charred and bleeding. He then stumbled to his feet and grabbed a card from his deck, dripping blood on several others as he did so. He then placed the card on his Duel Disk, "I summon Blazing Inpachi-"  
  
"No you don't!" Lin interrupted as his facedown card flipped up, revealing a Trap Hole. Nick's monster, a burning humanoid tree, appeared momentarily before it fell into a pit.  
  
Nick's one visible eye narrowed slightly, but he merely selected another card from his hand, "I had not wanted to take this risk, but I'll have to. I play Reasoning, which causes me to pick up cards from my deck until I reach a monster. The other cards are discarded. Then you guess the monster's level. If you're right, it's discarded. If not, I get to Special Summon it to the field." He immediately picked up the top card of his deck and signaled to Lin that it was, in fact, a monster.  
  
Lin thought for a moment. He had dueled Nick before, and knew that the only monsters Nick had left with over 1800 attack were monsters that required a sacrifice. "I call level 6."  
  
"Sorry, Lin," said Nick as he placed the monster on his Duel Disk, thus smearing the device with trace amounts of his own blood. "The monster is Drillago (1600/1000), a level 4 monster who can attack directly if all your monsters have at least 1600 attack points and are in attack mode." Drillago, familiar to those who had seen Marik use it at the Battle City finals, appeared with a buzz of its dozen drills. Then Nick ordered it forward and it burrowed underground. Second later it emerged from the Earth and struck Lin multiple times, ending the duel.  
  
Nick: 800 Lin: 0  
  
Lin's soul was claimed by the Shadow Realm, and his body had been beaten badly. Nick's hatred towards Youkai nearly doubled in an instant as he thought of how the evil spirit was pitting those who sought to defeat him against each other. At this rate, the winner of the tournament might be so fatigued they would fail to last a turn. Nick picked up Lin's body and carried it out of the arena as Joey and Mike entered. As they passed each other, Nick whispered, "Good luck, to both of you."  
  
So, there ya go. If anyone read this chapter and said "What the Hell?" or anything of the like, say so in a review and I'll send in an email explaining everything, because I don't really want to explain things right now. 


	25. For Vengeance

Welcome to the latest installment of Tokyo Tournament. Unless you're reading this after I posted the next chapter, in which case, its ancient history.

Death to those who piss me off!

Tokyo Tournament 

**Chapter Twenty-Five: For Vengeance**

**Also Entitled: [Insert Comic Relief-type Sentence Here]**

Tristan was the first to awaken. His eyes opened to the sight of gold-colored bricks. Which were pressed up against his nose. He lifted his chin and discovered that he along with all of the others who had been captured by the Shadow Realm, including Lin, were in a cubic room composed entirely of the gold-colored stone bricks. The others were lying about the room, unconscious. As Tristan got to his feet and looked about the room, the other began to stir. A worried expression placed itself on Tristan's face and he finished looking about the room. It was all the same: layers of the same stone bricks. There was no way out.

-...Earth...-

Nick knew a great deal more than most people did about fire. Almost everyone figures flame is flame, but Nick knew otherwise. The material that burns and its amount will cause changes in the flame's color and intensity. He knew the differences between natural fires and the ones that could not exist if man did not, like napalm and fireworks. And then there were the fires that were magical, which could temporarily set alight even the normally inflammable air about them. It was not as if Nick were a pyro, he simply was intrigued by the multiple variations of flame as a pedologist might be intrigued by the multiple variations of soil and rocks. And he had a long time to think about these sorts of things.

So, it took no effort for Nick to understand what Joey and Mike were feeling as he looked at them. He just had to look at their eyes. Mike's expression was easy to read. A small, yellow light glowed through each of his eyes, his courage standing high such as a lit candle despite his inner fear. Joey's expression was very different. His pupils reflected a raging orange flame that flickered angrily in an attempt to burn unburnable materials. Joey's very being was corrupted by rage which threatened to exercise itself violently at any moment. And it took no effort to understand why. Not even when Marik had imprisoned Mai had the teenager felt this way. But Youkai had virtually killed his sister, and made an earlier attempt to fully do so. Nick knew that if Joey was the one who attempted to beat Youkai and he succeeded, he would not spare the demon the release from pain known as death for a long, long time.

At the moment, however, Joey had to duel Mike. It was times like these that Nick would have looked upon and laughed had he not been there while it was happening. A life would be lost, which one being decided by a card game.

Joey: 4000 Mike: 4000

Mike and Joey both surveyed their hands briefly before Mike drew a sixth card. He then pressed one of the cards in his hand into one of the Spell/Trap slots at the top of his Duel Disk. The devices were not required for their holographic abilities, as the Shadow Realm provided real monsters instead of mere three-dimensional light images. The Disks were simply a convenient method of playing and drawing the cards. "I'll play Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and then discarding two." As Mike executed this task, Nick noticed a flash appear in the teen's eyes. Mike kept a good poker face, but the bright shine of confidence was like a beacon to Nick when compared to the darkness of the Shadow Realm about the teen.

"Now I'll set a monster in defense mode, along with two cards facedown," continued Mike as the three cards appeared in front of him. Mike nodded to Joey, who impatiently snatched a card off his deck.

"Alright," said Joey quickly, "I'll summon my Little Winguard (1400/1800) in attack mode and have it attack!" The short warrior fell from the air and stopped about a meter off the ground with a flare of its too-long blue cape. It then dived towards Mike's set monster, its short-sword thrust outward.

"Activate A Feint Plan," declared Mike as his first facedown card flipped up, showing Freed the Matchless General making battle plans at a map. "When this Trap is activated, no Defense-mode monsters can be activated for a turn, keeping my monster safe." The horizontal card moved backwards several feet, getting just out of the Winguard's path. Joey let out a small growl and ended his turn by using the Winguard's effect to shift to defense mode.

No Traps. Nick knew what that meant. Joey's Traps were numerous enough that he should have drawn some, and even if he hadn't he could have set a Spell as a bluff. Joey was allowing the fury that could win a duel if used well and using it to a negative effect.

Mike drew and adjusted one of the cards on his Duel Disk, "I flip Mask of Darkness (900/400) into attack mode, adding a Trap from my graveyard to my hand." Mike's monster flipped up, revealing a somewhat decayed yellow opera mask. He then shuffled through his thin graveyard stack and added one of the cards to his hand. "Next, I'll place a card facedown, then activate my previously set Trap card, Ceasefire, which will deal you 500 points of direct damage for every Effect monster on the field!"

Joey: 3000 Mike: 4000

"But that's not all," continued Mike, "for now I sacrifice my Mask of Darkness in order to summon the more powerful Airknight Parshath (1900/1400)!" Mike's Mask cracked in the center and broke apart. From above, a beam of light struck the area where the pieces of the Mask remained, and they levitated into the heavens above. Then a figure descended to take the Mask's place. It was an angel, with pale skin and long, blonde hair. It wore blue armor with golden lining. White, feathered wings curled about its shoulders and waist, and two smaller ones extended from the sides of its helmet. Above the wings, a halo ringed the helm. Its left arm was attached to a green, leaf-shaped shield, while its right hand bore a green-bladed, golden-hilted broadsword.

For the first time in the duel, Joey had the consideration to start worrying. [That thing's strong enough ta take down my Winguard! Well, at least I'll have a turn to prepare without him hitting my Life Points anymore."

"Airknight Parshath," commanded Mike with a sweep of his arm, "destroy his Little Winguard!" Parshath extended its four wings and took off into the air. Then it dive-bombed Joey's tiny monster with its sword held high. The Winguard raised its shield in an attempt to block the attack, but Parshath simply cleaved through the metal disc and ripped through the faceless thing.

As he saw the Winguard fall, Mike spoke again, "Now Parshath's effect will activate. Whenever he destroys a monster in defense mode, you still take Battle damage!"

Joey: 2900 Mike: 4000

"Not only that," continued Mike, "but Airknight Parshath will discard a card from the top of your deck whenever it deals Battle Damage to your Life Points." As he spoke, the card on top of Joey's deck floated into the air and drifted into his graveyard slot.

Joey let out a snarl as he drew a card. The expression softened a bit as he looked over his hand and slid the new card into his Duel Disk, "I play Scapegoat, giving me four monsters in defense mode." The tiny goats appeared in the air, their eyes closed in a pleasant expression that contrasted deeply with Joey's furious visage. "Now I summon Panther Warrior (2000/1500), and sacrifice one of my goats so it can attack!" The purple-furred humanoid panther bounded out of the shadows and landed in a threatening stance in front of Joey, its sword held ready to strike. Then one of the four scapegoats dispersed into pure energy, which infused itself into the blade of the Panther Warrior's blade. Then the savage cat humanoid leapt forward in a graceful leap before landing in front of Parshath. Then the Panther swung its curved blade in a strike aimed for the angelic knight's neck

Suddenly, three blue-robed priestesses appeared and formed a barrier between the Panther Warrior and the Airknight Parshath. The Panther's blade was stopped by an ethereal force as the priestesses of the Waboku Trap card recited a short chant. Joey realized immediately that Waboku must have been discarded by Mike when he used Graceful Charity. The card would have then been sent to Mike's hand as he used the Mask of Darkness's effect. Grimacing, Joey ended his turn.

Mike took a breath before drawing his card, then let it out as he looked at it. "I summon the Marauding Captain (1200/400), and then use his effect to summon Warrior Dai Grepher (1700/1600) from my hand!" The familiar blonde-haired Captain marched forth, accompanied by the muscular Dai Grepher. "Now, I'll order by warriors forward and destroy your remaining Scapegoats!" Parshath took off into the air again, and the two ground-bound Warriors rushed forth and stabbed their blades into two of the round goats shortly before their flying comrade swooped down and cleaved through the third.

Joey: 1000 Mike: 4000

Joey snarled again as he Parshath's effect activated once again. Then he drew a card and the expression turned upwards into a small smirk. "I sacrifice my Panther Warrior in order to summon my Maximum Six (1900/1600)!" The Panther vanished, and was replaced by an odd blue humanoid with six muscular arms extending from its torso.

"That was pointless," stated Mike, "your Maximum Six has too little attack to do enough damage to me. And once my turn comes around I can defeat you for good."

"Not quite," replied Joey, "when my Maximum Six is summoned, I get to roll a die. Then my Maximum Six gains 200 attack points times the amount I rolled." At his words, a red six-sided die appeared in the air, then flung itself across the floor. It landed on a 2, and Maximum Six's attack power slightly rose (2300/1600). "Now Maximum Six will rip apart your Marauding Captain!" The six-armed behemoth trundled forward on its leg and two of its large arms, then used each of its four remaining arms to hold an individual limb of the Captain. Then it pulled the limbs in four different directions. Blood, bone fragments, armor plates, and intestines and other various internal organs were flung in all directions as the Captain was ripped to pieces.

Joey: 1000 Mike: 2900

Mike cringed as he realized he was up against something that might very well repeat what it had just done to his monster to him. "I play Card Destruction, so we both get new hands." Mike discarded and drew his three cards and Joey his four. Then the look of dismay on Mike's face disappeared, "I sacrifice my two monsters to summon my favorite monster, the Sword Hunter (2450/1700)!" Both Parshath and Dai Grepher vanished, and out of the Shadows marched a sight quite familiar to Joey. He wore makeshift armor that probably had been accumulated from seven different sets, and the helmet had a sword welded into it, the hilt acting as a visor. Across his back was slung a tremendous sword, perhaps as long as the warrior was tall. A curved dagger was attached to his chest-plate, a short-sword to his left shoulder-plate, and another short-sword to his belt. In his hands he carried a rapier and a broadsword. "Sword Hunter, destroy Maximum Six and add its power to your armor!" The Hunter rushed forward, slashing at Joey's six-armed brute with such speed and ferocity that the beast died before it could blink. Then the Six's head appeared attached to the Sword Hunter's chest-plate (2650/1700).

Joey: 850 Mike: 2900

Joey's complexion suddenly took a drastic change for the first time in the duel. Instead of a look of rage, his face was one of dismay. And it didn't take a genius to figure out why. He had faced down tremendously powerful monsters before, but none when he felt the pressure of his younger sister's fate pressed onto his shoulders. He took a breath, and drew a card. Then he took his turn, "I set two cards facedown, and then summon my Swordsman of Landstar (500/1200) in attack mode." His two cards appeared, followed by the small, doll-like swordsman who immediately backed away from the intimidating Sword Hunter.

Mike quickly drew, then announced his turn, "I summon my Armaill (700/1300) to the field." A rather strange monster appeared. It had the upper body of a human, and carried two swords in its arms. However, below the waist the Armaill's body simply became a long, metallic tail that ended in a silver blade. "Sword Hunter, destroy his Swordsman and end this duel!" The armored swordsman once again charged towards Joey's meager defense and held up its swords to strike. But as the swords came, a small silver disc in front of the blades' paths and blocked the attack.

"My Single Silver Dollar Trap stopped your attack," Joey briefly explained, "it can only be used on face-up monsters with less than 1000 attack, which is why I left my Landstar Swordsman in attack mode."

"A useful card," Mike admitted, "but now my Armaill will finish the job and slay the Swordsman with its three blades!" The serpentine blade-user slithered towards the Swordsman and struck with lightning-quickness, piercing through the Landstar's body multiple times before death accepted the tiny warrior.

Joey: 650 Mike: 2900

Joey nervously began to draw, but then steeled himself. No matter the odds, which required him to draw one specific card from his deck to win, he knew he would do so. He pulled the card free and glimpsed at it before smiling as he saw that he had succeeded. "I gotta admit, Mike," said Joey, "you gave me one Hell of a duel. But now I'm gonna end it. I summon Black Dragon Hatchling (800/500)." What appeared did not look fearsome. It didn't look heroic. It didn't look hideous, evil, glorious, or even the slightest bit tough. In fact, you might have said it looked cute. Very cute. But it was that kind of cute that made everyone think it was an adorable, innocent little creature when in reality it had the power to become a killing machine. It was a tiny little dragon, just crawling out of its egg. Its head was about the same size as its body. Its black scales gleamed like obsidian, and its eyes shone like rubies. As it emerged from its shell, it let out a little growl that sounded a lot a cat mewling.

"So dog-boy shows just how hopeless he is," spat Kaiba, choosing now of all times to insult Joey.

"Now I'll activate my Hatchling's effect," declared Joey, "by sacrificing it, I can Special Summon a Red Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000) from my hand!" Suddenly, the Hatchling grew a tremendous amount in size. Its wings grew into a great black cape, and the claws on its arms and legs extended and became sharper than the Sword Hunter's blades. As it emerged, it let out a challenging roar. "Now I play the Spell card Dark Mega Flare, which lets me deal 2400 damage to your Life Points at the cost of my Dragon's attack this turn." The Red Eyes Black Dragon extended its enormous wings leapt into the air. Then it reared back its head and emitted a sphere of red and black energy from its maw. Mike almost leapt out of the energy's path, but suffered second-degree burns as the blast grazed his right arm.

Joey: 650 Mike: 500

Mike dragged himself to his feet, clutching his right arm with left, "You've just cost yourself the time. Next turn I can destroy your Dragon with my Sword Hunter, and I'll win."

"Sorry, Mike," sighed Joey as he activated the one card remaining that existed in his hand or on his field. The card flipped up, "I activate Metalmorph and equip it to my Red Eyes Black Dragon, then sacrifice it to Special Summon the Red Eyes Black Metal Dragon (2800/2400) from my deck." The Red Eyes' black scales became covered by a coat of silver armor, creating the card that had played an enormous the time Joey had Dueled Bandit Keith at Duelist Kingdom. "Now, Red Eyes, end it." The metal-coated roared, and emitted a stream of blistering hot fire from its, incinerating the Armaill.

Joey: 650 Mike: 0

Mike fell to the ground, his soul no longer connected to the body. Joey bowed his head in regret. Youkai was playing a sick game, forcing them to kill each other. But these duels mattered. The strongest had to take on Youkai, or else they would all suffer the fate of death. Joey walked over to Mike and slung the smaller teen over his shoulders as Kai and Mai stepped into the arena. Joey's fiery rage had subsided for now. He would save it for the true enemy.

So, that's chapter 25 for ya. In case you're wondering, Black Dragon Hatchling and Dark Mega Flare are cards released in the Japanese set "Soul of Duelist", which will be released in America in the next set.


	26. Flock of Death

Greetings to all you geeks who are reading this. Note that the past statement was not an insult, but a greeting. Being a geek myself, I cannot call someone else a geek and mean it to be an insult, because that is a case of a pot calling a kettle black. Even though pots can't talk and kettles don't have emotions. I think.

Anyways, I'm glad you guys have come for another chapter of Tokyo Tournament. This chapter is up a bit later than I wanted it to be, but due to Hurricane Jeanne, I didn't have power for almost all of Sunday and most of this morning. Thus, I lost a lot of writing time. Oh well, at least I got school off.

Now, on with the story!

**Tokyo Tournament**

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Flock of Death**

**Also Entitled: Eat Your Heart Out, Hitchcock**

Sight. Smell. Sound. Taste. Touch.

These are the five sensations experienced by all creatures of the Kingdom Animalia, with a few exceptions. Some species are blind, others deaf. The human race, however, is neither, with some exceptions.

These five sensations can be manipulated. Filmmakers fool viewers every time a blockbuster hits the cinema. Few of the sounds the audience hears are what they are interpreted to be. As illustrated in a certain popular British comedy, coconut shells struck together in the right pattern sound remarkably like a horse's hooves clicking against the ground.

These and other such manipulations have led some to go as far as to theorize that the entire world that we all experience is an illusion (another movie, a large-budget action film, illustrates this hypothesis). After all, the human mind can only interpret the physical world through the five sensations, all of which can be fooled.

Is the world an illusion? Is what we perceive as reality just a manipulation of our minds? And, above all, if the answer is yes, does it really matter? After all, in a place where the mind is separate from the body, such as the Shadow Realm, illusions can be real…

-…The Shadow Realm…-

Giyan carefully examined the wall. The golden-colored bricks were large, about two feet wide by one foot tall. There was no telling how thick they were. They were made of a substance unheard of on Earth, but something about them simply made Giyan think they were enormously heavy. The cracks between the bricks were highly visible, but they were also thinner than paper. The wall was obviously enchanted. However, the wall's magic extended beyond its appearance. Whenever one of them pressed against it slowly, the wall reacted normally. However, when the wall of struck with significant speed…

Giyan reared back his fist and thrust it forward. As his knuckles came into contact with the wall, it shimmered, and Giyan's hand passed through the bricks soundlessly, causing no damage to himself or the wall. He let his breath out in a sigh. "No use," he said to the others inspecting the walls. "If these were normal walls, we'd probably be able to carve right through 'em in seconds. But there's no way we'll be able to break what we can't hit."

"Why don't we just run through?" suggested Tea, "If the wall doesn't resist when you punch it, it shouldn't if we run at it."

"We probably could get through," agreed Term, "problem is, I don't think Youkai would create a prison this well-designed without thinking of that. We have no idea what we'd be running into if we jumped through the wall."

"We have to find out what Youkai's put us in," muttered Giyan, "until then, we can't do anything."

-…Earth…-

Mai grit her teeth as she stepped into the arena. The last time she had dueled in a place like this, the end result hadn't been a very happy scene. She tried to block out the memory and focus on what was to come. She wouldn't allow what had happened to happen again.

Kai was nervous himself, but not as much as his opponent. He hadn't experienced the Shadow Realm firsthand until now. Still, he had seen the blood…

Both duelists took their positions, took out their decks, and shuffled. Seconds later each had replaced their decks and drawn their opening hands. And so another duel began.

Kai: 4000 Mai: 4000

Meanwhile, Yugi, Joey, Kaiba, Shaun, Nick, and Kirbin watched. The Yugi, Joey, and Kaiba had nearly identical expressions, all the familiar look of one who can do nothing while their loved ones' lives hang in the balance. Shaun and Nick's expressions were unreadable, for different reasons. Kirbin…Kirbin was hardly watching. He knelt down in front of Joy's body with a look on his face that made it seem as though every ounce of his energy had left him.

Drew a sixth card, and yet another duel began. "I'll summon my Harpie Lady (1300/1400) to the field," she announced as she placed the card on her duel disk and the bird-lady dropped down from above, her talons held ready. "Now I place one card facedown, and end my turn."

Kai drew a sixth card from his deck, then examined it and the rest of his hand. "I summon a monster in defense mode, and then place a card facedown as well."

Mai smiled a bit and drew. "Now I'll summon a second Harpie Lady!" at her words, a second harpy swooped down from above to land beside the first. "Now, my Harpies! Strike his monster down and then attack directly!" Both the birds spread their winged arms and took flight. One swiftly cut through the facedown card and the other continued streaking towards Kai, her talons prepared to rend the flesh from his bones.

"The monster you attacked was Kuriboh (300/200)," stated Kai as the brown ball of fur appeared and was cut in half, "and with it on the field, I can activate Multiply, giving me four Kuriboh tokens!" As the original Kuriboh was struck down, four more appeared in its place. One of the four furballs was cut down by Mai's second Harpie Lady, but Kai remained unharmed.

"I'm not done yet," declared Mai as her facedown card suddenly flipped upwards, "I activate Triple Mirror, which allows me to summon as many Harpie Ladies to the field as you just special summoned with your Multiply card!" Three more of the Harpie Ladies appeared on the field, bringing Mai's small bird army to five of the creatures.

"That's impossible!" exclaimed Kai in disbelief as Mai ordered the new Harpies forward, and his remaining Kuriboh were quickly struck down. "How can you have five Harpie Ladies in your deck? The rules specifically state no duelist can have more than three copies of one card in their deck!"

"That's right," conceded Mai, "but these aren't just Harpie Ladies. The three I just summoned are Harpie Lady 1, Harpie Lady 2, and Harpie Lady 3, who apply to any cards whose effects normally apply to Harpie Lady. Not only that, but each has their own special effect. For instance, Harpie Lady 1 powers up all Wind monsters on the field by 300 attack points, so now each of my Harpie Ladies has 1600 attack points (1600/1400 x5)!"

Kai grimaced as he drew a card. It had taken Mai two turns to summon five monsters, two of which had effects he knew nothing about. But now was not the time to hesitate, "I summon The Fiend Megacyber (2200/1200), who can be summoned without sacrifice if you have at least two more monsters on the field than I do." A large, muscular warrior covered in golden armor appeared in front of Kai. Jagged black lines decorated the Fiend Megacyber's helmet and breastplate, and iron spikes were attached to its shoulder guards and the jaw of its helmet. Dark purple eyes glared at Mai from behind the small visor. "Fiend Megacyber, destroy Harpie Lady 1!" Blue electricity crackled about the Fiend Megacyber as it charged towards the named target. As it the reached the harpy, it grabbed her with a gauntleted hand and pulled her back against its chest. Then it used the other hand to grab her head and twisted it with a sickening crack.

Kai: 4000 Mai: 3400

(Remaining Harpie Ladies: 1300/1400 x4)

Mai felt a slight surge of pain as her Life Points were reduced. While having her monster destroyed did not cause as much pain as being struck directly, she still felt somewhat drained. "I'll put all my monsters in defense mode," she stated as all four Harpie Ladies crouched down on one knee, their wings crossed over their bodies. "I also place one card facedown before ending my turn."

Kai drew a card, and immediately played it, "I play Card Destruction, so now we'll both get new hands." Both duelists discarded the four cards in their hands and drew four more. Kai grinned a little as he played one of the cards in his hand, "Now, my Mystical Space Typhoon will destroy your facedown card!" A powerful black wind swept across Mai's facedown card, destroying her Trap (Mirror Wall). "Next, I set two cards facedown and summon the Blade Knight (1600/1000) in attack mode!" A blue-armored man appeared next to the Fiend Megacyber, wielding a sword with a curved blade and a hexagonal shield. "And my Blade Knight gains 400 attack points if I have less than two cards in my hand (0) (2000/1000). Blade Knight, Fiend Megacyber, destroy her two Harpie Ladies!" The Blade Knight sprang forward and slashed at one Harpie Lady, while the Fiend Megacyber caved in the other's face with a tremendous punch.

Mai grit her teeth as she saw her defenses slowly crumble. Both the monsters Kai had on the field had at least 2000 attack points, and the way they were treating her monsters, Mai hoped neither came within ten feet of her. She nervously drew, and examined the hand Card Destruction had given her. "I play the Field card known as Harpie Hunting Area!" Immediately, from the black void of the Shadow Realm came forth life. Luscious green grass sprouted across the ground, and the two remaining Harpie Ladies became so happy in their surroundings that they took flight, soaring in circles about the arena. "Now I summon my second Harpie Lady 1, and follow that up by using Monster Reborn to revive the original!" Both the new Harpie Ladies appeared in the air, and joined their sisters in flying through the air. "And now the effect of Harpie Hunting Area activates. When I summon a Harpie Lady, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field! So say good bye to your two facedown cards!" At her words, both the new harpies dive-bombed Kai's facedown cards and cut them apart with ease. "An that's not all my Harpie Hunting Area can do," continued Mai as a smile crossed her lips, "Harpie Hunting Area adds 200 points to the attack and defense of all Birds on the field! And don't forget the additional 300 attack points BOTH of my Harpie Lady 1's provide (2100/1600 x4)!"

Kai gasped as he saw the power of all four bird-women skyrocket. Even though his Fiend Megacyber had more attack points than all of them, he had plenty of reason to worry. "Now, Harpie Lady 2, destroy the Blade Knight!" One of the four harpies dropped down from the sky and swung its right claw at the knight's chest. The knight quickly raised his shield to parry, but the metal hexagon was sliced to shreds by the razor-sharp talons. The force of the blow knocked the knight to the ground, and the Harpie Lady wasted no time in scratching repeatedly at his face. After several moments of this, the Harpie Lady flew into the air again, blood dripping from her now crimson talons. "Finally," said Mai, "I set a card facedown and end my turn."

Kai: 3900 Mai: 3400

Kai drew a card, and hoped that his retaliation would be successful as he cried out, "Fiend Megacyber, destroy Harpie Lady 1!" The golden-armored warrior leapt high into the air, and came down. The Harpie Lady that Kai had chosen to attack was still flying about the arena, apparently unaware of the coming strike.

But as the Fiend Megacyber reared its fist back and came closer to the harpy, Mai cried out, "I activate Suzaku Formation, negating your attack!" The remaining three birds suddenly appeared next to the first, and the four formed a square formation. Then flame swept around the four harpies. The flames formed into the shape of a large bird, which flew directly at the Fiend Megacyber. The Fiend Megacyber struck with all its might, but could not defeat the bird of flame. After the confrontation, the flames dispersed, as Mai's Trap had extinguished its usage.

"I summon a monster in defense mode," murmured Kai as the one card in his hand appeared beside the Fiend Megacyber.

Mai drew and immediately played a card, "Pot of Greed now gives me two more cards." She added the two to her hand, bringing its size to three cards. As she looked at the cards she had drawn, she suppressed a laugh. "Now I play this: Elegant Egotist!" Kai gasped as the infamous Harpie Lady Sisters (1950/2100) were summoned from Mai's deck. Now seven harpies glared at him with hungry eyes. "But that's not all," continued Mai, "I also sacrifice Harpie Ladies 2 and 3 to summon Harpie's Pet Dragon (2000/2500)!" Two of the harpies vanished, but in their place the large, red dragon appeared, its chain leash appearing in one of the harpy's claws. Then all of the power-up took effect, leaving the Harpie Lady Sisters at 2750/2300 and the dragon at 3200/3100. "And now," said Mai, "I play the Spell card Triangle Ecstasy Spark, changing the base attack of my Harpie Lady Sisters to 2700 for this turn (3500/2300)." The sisters flew into the air, and in front of them a triangle of sparkling electricity appeared, causing them to cry out in excitement. "Harpie Lady Sisters, destroy Fiend Megacyber!" The triangle of energy surged forward, immediately ripping through the Megacyber's magnificent armor and cooking its wearer alive.

Kai: 2600 Mai: 3400

"Harpie's Pet Dragon, follow up the attack by burning Kai's facedown monster to cinders!" The large dragon belched out a tremendous fireball that temporarily blinded Kai as he watched it stampede towards his last defense. As it struck the facedown card, the rectangle exploded into ashes, many of which singed Kai's arms as he shielded himself from the blast.

But as the smoke and Kai's vision cleared, Mai gasped as she saw the sphere of white tubes. Kai grinned as he said, "Cyber Jar (900/700)." With that, the sphere exploded, obliterating Mai's brigade of powerful creatures. The resulting summons gave Kai X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) and Z-Metal Tank (1500/1300) and Mai a facedown monster. Kai's first monster was a blue- and gold-plated machine with a humanoid upper torso balanced on a spiked ball. Twin, long cannons extended from hatches in the robot's shoulders. Z-Metal Tank was a yellow machine that consisted mostly of two set of tank treads between which was a simple rectangle to hold the treads together. From the front of this rectangle extended a baseball-sized eye on a stalk. Mai bit her lip as she placed three cards facedown and hoped she was wrong about what she though would happen next.

Kai drew and smiled. "I summon Y-Dragon Head (1500/1600)!" A robotic red dragon appeared between the X-Head Cannon and the Z-Metal Tank, is wings spread wide and blue energy crackling in its maw. "And now I shall combine X, Y, and Z to summon the mighty force of destruction known as XYZ Dragon Cannon (2800/2600)!" The three machines floated into the air and formed into one large machine. The X-Head Cannon attached to the Y-Dragon Head, and together they rested on top of the Z-Metal Tank. "Now I'll discard two cards from my hand to destroy two f your facedown cards!" Five lasers fired from the Y's mouth and X's and Z's cannons. The lasers sliced through two of Mai's cards, eliminating them. "Now I'll play Hand Rebirth, so both of us discard our hands and draw new ones of five!" Mai gasped at the realization that more cards for Kai meant more chances for him to use XYZ Dragon's destructive effect. And with only a monster on the field and another facedown card, Mai would be hit by the full force of the tremendous machine. Kai discarded two of the new cards from his hand, clearing Mai's field. "XYZ Dragon Cannon, attack directly." Kai averted his eyes to the side, trying to suppress the sickness in his stomach. He could very well be ordering someone's death.

As the five cannons fired in a burst of white, yellow, and blue, Mai froze up. Time seemed to slow down as her pupils shrunk to protect her vision from the bright lights. Like she'd be concerned about her vision in a few seconds. But Joey sprang into action and yelled at the top of his lungs, "MAI! DUCK!"

Mai snapped out of her dies and fell forward, her legs sliding along the ground and her head stooping forward as she tried to get as low as possible. She nearly succeeded as the bottom-right and center lasers only barely singed her skin, but the bottom-left one neatly burned through the back of her right ankle. Mai cried out in pain as the laser struck her, but her yell was drowned out by the explosion of the lasers hitting the ground mere feet behind her. Kai sighed as he saw Mai's injuries were relatively small. "I place a card facedown and end my turn."

Kai: 2600 Mai: 600

Mai struggled to her knees, then tried to stand. But her weakened right ankle could not bear her weight, so she had to crouch down on one knee. Her hand shook as she drew, but as she pulled the card free, she steadied herself. She sighed as she looked at her new hand, and pulled one of the cards free, "I play Raigeki." The lightning bolt came down from the sky, but Kai's facedown card flipped up and a strange machine appeared in the lightning's path. As the lightning bolt collided with the machine, a force field sprang up around the machine, canceling out the Raigeki spell.

"I activated Spell Shield Type-8," explained Kai, "by discarding a card from my hand, I can negate the activation of one Spell."

"Nuts," said Mai, "good thing I had a back-up plan. I play Smashing Ground, which will destroy the strongest monster on your field." An enormous brown fist came down from above and slammed into the XYZ Dragon Cannon, crushing the powerful machine into scrap. "Now that the path is cleared, I summon Cyber Harpie (1800/1000)," yet another harpy appeared in front of Mai, this one more powerful than her sisters. "Then I equip my Cyber Harpie with Cyber Shield and Rose Whip, which will boost her attack power by 800 points, the exact same amount as your Life Points (2600/1000)!" A whip appeared in the Harpie's hand, and she became covered in golden armor. "Now to end this duel. Cyber Harpie, avenge the lives of all your fallen sisters! Attack directly!" The harpy swung her whip at Kai, the numerous thorns making a large gash across his chest and spilling his blood along the ground.

But the duel was not over. Kai had stumbled to the ground and was breathing heavily, but still he spoke, "That was…a good duel, Mai. Now its…over, but I'm not going to…have lost it. The card I discarded to…Spell Shield Type-8 was…Makyura the Destructor…and when he goes to the graveyard…I can activate Traps from my…hand for the turn. So I activate Attack and Receive…dealing you 700 points of damage…and ending the duel in…a tie." He managed to press the card into his Duel Disk before collapsing. The Mai felt the last of her energy drained from her as her Life Points also dropped to 0.

Kai: 0 Mai: 0

Youkai crowed with laughter, "Now THAT was a good duel! A truly stellar performance! I especially loved the ending. The next duel is between Kirbin and the Pharaoh. I'd like to see you both try and top THAT performance! HAHAHAHA!"

And so ends the eighth duel of the tournament finals. Up next: the quarterfinals, which features Yugi vs. Kirbin, followed by Kaiba vs. Shaun. Don't miss it!

Note to the readers: Many of the various combos Mai used cannot be done in the game. This is because Harpie Ladies 1, 2, and 3, as well as Cyber Harpie (also called Harpie Lady SB, simply named Cyber Harpie Lady in the show), are treated as being Harpie Ladies. Thus, you cannot have more than three total of the monsters Harpie Lady, Harpie Ladies 1, 2, and 3, and Cyber Harpie in your deck.

Note to Time Mage: What'd you think of Kai using Fiend Megacyber against the legion of Harpie Ladies? Remind you of anything?


	27. In Cold Blood

WHAZZUP! That's right, G.O.T. Nick has finally returned to Tokyo Tournament after a nearly three-month-long hiatus. Without further ado, it is now time to continue Tokyo Tournament with the long-awaited and highly anticipated (at least by some of you…) twenty-seventh chapter.

But first, a recap: …Screw this, just go back over the last few chapters if you can't remember anything…

Tokyo Tournament 

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: In Cold Blood**

**Also Entitled: Happy Holidays…Stay Warm…**

Giyan, Yamato, Lin, and Term sat in a circle in one corner of their prison. They knew that outside the Shadow Realm, Yugi and the others would continue to duel for the right to face Youkai. Should Yugi face Youkai and lose, the world would be doomed no matter what they did. However, if Yugi lost before he could face Youkai, he would be sent to the prison they currently resided in. If and when that were to happen, they would have to find a way to get everyone out of the seemingly impermeable prison.

"Alright," said Yamato, "let's review our current situation. We need to get out of this room. It has no conceivable exits. The walls allow strikes of sufficient force to pass through them, but instantly reform afterwards."

"I could solve that problem," Giyan spoke up. He held his palms together, and a ball of light and dark energy sparked into existence, "I could probably make a tunnel and hold it up long enough for everyone to get through. Only problem is, I don't know what's on the other side of these walls or how thick they are. I don't know if the tunnel I make will be long enough to penetrate the entire wall or if there's something outside guarding us… the list goes on."

At this time, there was the distant sound of howling wind. "What's that?" asked Lin.

"Dimensional tunnel," replied Term as he pointed upwards at a strange vortex that had appeared in the middle of the ceiling, "it's how Youkai's been dumping us here. The loser of the last duel will fall out of it pretty soon."

"Better break their fall," muttered Lin as he quickly stood up and walked to the center of the prison. He then braced himself to catch whoever had lost the previous duel. Mai's unconscious form soon fell into his arms. "Hm, well I guess that Kai guy one," he mused as he began to set Mai on the floor. That was when Kai fell onto his back.

"Guess not," murmured Term as Lin groaned from beneath Kai.

"It must have been a draw," prompted Giyan, "and that means only six duelists remain. We'll have to work quickly if we're going to get out of here." He then stood up to help Lin, and as he did so he looked over the others who were imprisoned with them. The three teenage duelists -Kevin Hunter, Zachary Kiselob, and Mike Sullivan-, who had all been so passionate and determined during their duels, now seemed very much subdued. Mokuba was hunched against a wall, calm and silent. Giyan knew that he was worried, but was confident that his older brother would rescue him. Then there were Joy and Serenity. The two young girls were falling apart, and were being comforted by Tea and Tristan, who themselves were as calm and collected as they could be under the circumstances.

Breaking his train of thought to lift Kai off of Lin's back, Giyan sensed three things happen in quick succession. He felt the realization of someone missing. Next he heard Tea gasp and scream, "Giyan! Look o-!" And finally, he felt and saw the blade of a very sharp knife being stabbed straight through his back…

-…Earth…-

Yami activated his Duel Disk and stared across the dueling field at Kirbin, whose face was still downcast. From what Joy said about Kirbin's multiple essences, Yami thought, there's no telling what kind of strategy he'll use. I'll just have to be prepared for anything.

Yami suddenly noticed that Kirbin was changing again. His pink hair was paling and growing in length. His skin was also paling as well. This continued until his hair was completely white and hung over his shoulders, while his skin was only a few shades darker than white. The Kirbin's new essence raised his head and opened his eyes, revealing cold, light blue irises. "My name is Frost," he said in a voice that was calm, matter-of-factly, and emotionless, "I shall be dueling on Kirbin's behalf."

Youkai grinned, I hope this Frost can give the Pharaoh a decent challenge. I'd hate to take his Millennium Puzzle without his having warmed up. "Let the quarter-finals begin!"

Frost: 4000 Yami: 4000

"I shall begin this duel," stated Frost as he drew six cards. Yami nodded and drew his own starting hand of five. The Frost selected one of the six cards in his hand and placed it in one of his Duel Disks Spell/Trap slots. "I shall begin my turn by playing the Spell known as Cold Wave." From Frost's card erupted a blast of water that soaked both duelists before quickly dissipating. Yami felt himself shiver violently as the water slammed into him. The water was unfathomably cold, and it left the former Pharaoh rolled into a ball in an attempt to keep himself warm. Stunned by the sudden blast of cold, Yami could only listen as Frost talked, "You've probably never felt nearly this cold, being from a place like Egypt. Of course, the effect of a wave of water whose temperature is more than one hundred degrees below 0 would be devastating to the majority of the human race. I've dealt with things much colder, though. You probably don't know just how deadly the cold is. Extremely low temperatures can cause many horrible things to a person. Numbness, frostbite…I could give you a very long list. Of course the effects of the cold are not usually instantaneous, but rather happen over time as the victim is slowly weakened. The Cold Wave's effect represents that weakening: it will prevent both of us from playing or setting any other Spell or Trap cards until the end of your turn. Until then, I'll set a monster in defense mode and end my turn." The card appeared in a facedown horizontal position in front of him.

Yami got to his feet, feeling the initial effects of the Cold Wave beginning to vanish. He calmly drew his card and grimaced. Without the ability to play or set Spell or Trap cards, his hand was nearly useless! As soon as my turn is over, Frost will no doubt go on the attack, and I'll have practically nothing to defend myself with! The best I can hope for is to attempt to destroy his monster and leave him less to work with. "I shall summon Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1000) in attack mode!" The now-familiar yellow magnet being appeared from the shadows without a sound. It raised its claws in preparation for attack, and centered its strange, beady eyes on the monster Frost had set. "Beta, attack his facedown monster!" The Magnet Warrior charged forward, its metal feet sounding against the ground loudly. As it reached the horizontal card, it raised its arms and brought them down hard on the card, which flipped up to reveal a purple penguin wearing red shoulder pads and clutching a short-bladed sword in its unwieldy wings.

"You've attacked my Penguin Soldier (750/500)," said Frost, "and now that's he's been flipped, I'll use his effect to return himself and your Magnet Warrior to our hands." The Penguin Soldier avoided Beta's strike and swung its sword through the air, generating a gust of cold wind that blew both it and Beta off the field. Yami grimaced and took Beta off his Duel Disk and Frost did the same with his Penguin Soldier. "Since you've already summoned this turn and cannot play Spell or Trap cards for the duration of the turn, I assume your turn is over." Frost drew another card, bringing his hand up to six cards again. Then he selected three of the cards in his hand and placed them in his Duel Disk, "I'll set two cards facedown and also summon my Cannon Soldier (1400/1000) in attack mode." The two cards appeared in front of Frost immediately before the purple machine appeared. "And with nothing standing in my monster's path, I'll order Cannon Soldier to attack directly!" The robot adjusted the black cannon on its torso, and fired a burst of red energy at Yami. Yami quickly summoned a barrier of energy from the Millennium Puzzle to deflect the blast, but stumbled backwards as the attack struck him.

Frost: 4000 Yami: 2600

"I'll end my turn there," concluded Frost.

Yami drew and allowed himself to grin as he looked over his hand. "You've made two grave mistakes, Frost. The first was allowing me to use Spells and Traps this turn, and I'll take advantage of that by setting two cards facedown." The two cards appeared across from Frost's own two cards. Yami felt a bit of relief in the knowledge that he was now able to defend himself. "The other mistake was attacking with a monster as weak as the Cannon Soldier. You knew very well that I had a stronger monster in my hand, and I'll take advantage of the weak target you've left on the field by re-summoning Beta the Magnet Warrior and attacking again!" The yellow magnet being appeared on the field once again, and immediately began to charge the weaker Cannon Soldier, intent on swinging the tide of the duel.

But then something that Yami had never seen before happened: a sheet of ice appeared just a foot over the ground, sweeping across the field to trap the legs of both Beta and the Cannon Soldier. His and Frost's legs were also trapped. "What is this?" blurted Yami as he felt the cold touch of the ice chilling his lower legs.

"One of my Trap cards was Gravity Bind," explained Frost, motioning to one of his facedown cards, which had flipped up, "it prevents all monsters above level 3 from attacking. It appears the physical representation of the card's effect has been altered by my own abilities."

Yami frowned at this. None of his monsters had over 1400 attack _and_ were below level 3, which meant none of his monsters would be able to attack and destroy Cannon Soldier while Gravity Bind was on the field. Luckily, one of the cards he had just set would be able to destroy Gravity Bind… As Yami thought, he suddenly became aware of the lack of feeling in his lower legs. He gasped and looked down, realizing they had just gone completely numb.

"I see you've finally realized the deadliness of the cold," said Frost as he observed Yami's actions. He inwardly thought how the unexpected effects of his cards were limiting Yami's abilities. This gives me a distinct advantage. If I can dull the pharaoh's concentration enough, he may not even be able to defend himself. For now, though, I'll stick to my original strategy. "And now I'll practically insure my victory by activating the card known as Scapegoats." Four small, spherical goats appeared around Frost's Cannon Soldier, and Yami stared in shock.

Oh no! With Penguin Soldier in his hand, he'll be able to sacrifice a total of six monsters to Cannon Soldier's effect. And at 500 points damage per monster, I'll be defeated immediately!

Frost drew, and immediately his four Scapegoats vanished in a flash. Then the Cannon Soldier four bursts of energy at Yami in quick succession. The pharaoh brought up another barrier of energy in an attempt to ward off the attacks, but his defenses were growing weaker with each assault.

Frost: 4000 Yami: 600

But the former pharaoh could not be defeated so easily. Struggling to stand with his feet held immobile, Yami still managed to press a button on his Duel Disk, and one of his facedown cards flipped up, "I activate my Raigeki Break, which allows me to destroy one card on your field at the cost of one card from my hand!" He quickly flipped a card from his hand into his Duel Disk's graveyard slot, then pointed a finger at Frost's Cannon Soldier. "I'll target your machine!" A bolt of lightning shot from his fingertip, striking the purple robot and causing it to explode.

Frost frowned, then played a single card from his hand, "I'll play my second Cold Wave." Yami immediately braced himself as the blast of freezing water poured about him. He had to hold his breath for several seconds before the water dissipated, leaving him soaked and lying flat on the ice. "I'll also set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Yami's eyes widened as he realized what Frost planned to do. If he had just set Penguin Soldier, then he would only have to flip it to return any monsters on Yami's field. Then the path would be clear for the Soldier to attack, which would finish Yami off. He could only hope that the card he had drawn would help him…Yami glanced at the card and sighed in disappointment. "I end my turn."

"Then it's time for me to end this duel," said Frost as he drew. He glanced at his new card and immediately played it, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon, which will destroy your last facedown card." The dreaded whirlwind appeared from Frost's new card and swept towards Yami's facedown card. In mere moments the last defense will fall…

…Or so it appeared. "That's not going to work!" cried Yami as he waved his arm and the card flipped up, "the card you targeted was Waboku, and I'll activate it now before you can destroy it!" The trio of blue-robed priestesses emerged from the card just as the Mystical Space Typhoon destroyed it. The card was destroyed, but its effect had been activated.

"That card will buy you just one more turn," stated Frost as he grabbed the monster on his Duel Disk and flipped it, "I'll activate my Penguin Soldier's effect, returning he and Beta the Magnet Warrior to our respective hands." The Penguin Soldier appeared a second time and immediately slashed its sword. The resulting wind blew it and Beta off the field once again. "I'll then set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Yami closed his eyes and sighed as the priestesses of Waboku vanished. He had saved himself for one turn, but knew that he was running out of options. If Frost drew another Cold Wave, any Trap that Yami set would be useless. There was only one card that could save him now, and he had to draw it or lose the duel. Yami placed two fingers on the next card of his deck and began to slide it free. Then he gripped it with his thumb and silently prayed. Heart of the Cards…I ask you, please give me the card I need to win this duel! He pulled the card free, opened his eyes, and smiled.

"I begin by playing the Pot of Greed, which will allow me to draw two new cards!" Once again he could only hope for the right cards as he drew. And once again his deck rewarded him. "I play Curtain of Black Magic!" he yelled as he played the Spell, "At a cost of half my Life Points, I may now summon the Dark Magician (2500/2100) directly from my deck!" A large black curtain appeared in front of Yami, then fell to the ground to reveal the dreaded mage clothed in purple robes and armor. Its eyes and staff glowed green as it stood at the ready.

Frost: 4000 Yami: 300

"Then I'll play a card known as Baptism of Light and Dark!" Yami's next card caused the Dark Magician to glow a brilliant white. And as he glowed, the mage began to change. His flowing robes melded into his armor, which had become leather; his pointed helmet became a horned headdress; his hair became longer and unkempt; and his staff elongated and became a simple rod with a jewel at its tip. "By playing Baptism of Light and Dark, I can transform my Dark Magician into one of the most powerful mages ever known! Behold, Dark Magician of Chaos (2800/2500)!" The mage stopped glowing, revealing a new spellcaster that was adorned with leather armor of dark blue and red. His skin was a lighter shade of blue, and his eyes were a brilliant yellow.

"Your monster is powerful, but useless," commented Frost, "look at how even he is imprisoned by Gravity Bind!" Sure enough, the Magician's legs were trapped in the ice, and he was struggling to free himself.

"Don't have so much confidence in your Gravity Bind," said Yami, "because my turn is far from over. First, I'll use the effect of my Dark Magician of Chaos, which allows me to regain a Spell card from my graveyard." He immediately ejected his graveyard stack from his Duel Disk and selected one card from it. Then he added the card to his hand and placed the remainder of his graveyard in the slot again. "And now I'll play another Spell, called Move Dead, which allows me to shuffle one monster in my graveyard back into my deck. I'll select the only one there: my Dark Magician."

"I don't see how that will help you," stated Frost.

"I do," murmured Nick.

Kaiba had seen it too, and he was grinning openly, Leave it to Yugi to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat…

"You seem rather ignorant, Frost," said Yami, "because the Spell card I added to my hand from my Dark Magician of Chaos was this: Curtain of Black Magic! Now I can Special Summon my Dark Magician a second time!" The purple-robed mage reappeared from its trademark curtain, ready to do battle once again.

Frost: 4000 Yami: 150

"You seem to be neglecting the cards I have on the field, Pharaoh," said Frost. There's no way either of your Magicians will be able to get past my Gravity Bind."

"Is that so, Frost?" questioned Yami, "Because now that I have my Dark Magician on the field, I can wipe out your Gravity Bind with this card: Dark Magic Attack!" The Dark Magician raised its staff and gathered dark energy, then released in a wave of force that blew away the ice that imprisoned he and the Dark Magician of Chaos.

"My Trap is gone," admitted Frost, "but it doesn't matter. Once my Penguin Soldier is flipped, it will eliminate the threat your Magicians pose."

"Your Penguin Soldier will never get the chance to use its effect!" cried Yami as he played another card, "because I play Thousand Knives, which will destroy your monster immediately!" Six knives immediately appeared in the Dark Magician's hands, and he skillfully threw them towards Frost's facedown Penguin Soldier. The remaining nine hundred ninety-four appeared from the air around the Dark Magician and quickly followed the ones he had thrown. Frost's monster was skewered. "And now, with the path clear, its time to end this duel. Dark Magician, Dark Magician of Chaos, attack together! Double Dark Magic Attack!" The two mages raised their staffs and launched enormous waves of black energy at Frost, hurling him backwards and ending the duel.

Frost: 0 Yami: 150

"Well, that was boring," said Youkai, "I really wish the pharaoh could've frozen a bit more…Oh well! Begin the next duel! Shaun vs. Seto Kaiba!"

-…The Shadow Realm…-

Giyan stared dumbly at the blade that was now stuck through his chest. His entire mind was screaming to do something, but his body had gone into temporary shock. The knife was pulled out of his back, and he was aware that it was now being held against his neck. A voice right next to his ear was saying, "No one make a move, or I'll slit this bi-haired freak's throat."

Giyan immediately knew who it was. This was Wraith, the spirit that resided within the Millennium Ring that Bakura wore. Giyan had been wondering where the British boy had gone… Giyan's thought pattern was interrupted as he realized his hair had just been insulted. He tried to say something to the millennia-old thief that he desperately needed to see a barber, but his mouth refused to respond.

Giyan's mind was now spinning, and he was unable to concentrate on anything. The possibilities of what to do only flashed momentarily in his mind before he focused on something extremely unimportant. As his mind wandered, he became more and more aware that there was a howling of wind over his head, and it bothered him. But he was also aware that Wraith was too busy talking to notice it at all. As the howling grew louder, Giyan tried more and more to figure out what it was. Just as he figured it out, he felt his face hit the floor. Kirbin had fallen on Wraith, knocking him unconscious.

Eventually Giyan's head cleared, and he became aware that bodies were being lifted off of him. As he himself was helped up by Yamato, Giyan suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

"You all right?" asked Yamato.

"Yeah, I'm fine," assured Giyan as he slumped against a wall and used his powers to heal the wound in his torso, "and I've come up with an escape plan…"

Next time on Tokyo Tournament: Giyan outlines his plan and Shaun takes on Kaiba! Happy Holidays to all!


	28. A Good Cause

Hello everyone. This is it, the very first chapter for Tokyo Tournament of 2005. In May this story will be two years old. Which kind of sends a message to me to finish it…

The Helldragon: True, Yami could've destroyed Gravity Bind immediately, but he was a bit distracted at the time and didn't think of using it during his Battle Phase. So he just decided to bide his time until a better opportunity presented itself. Turns out it was the right choice, since he would've lost the next turn to Frost's Cannon Soldier barrage if he didn't have Raigeki Break held ready.

Now then, I'm going to go have tea on the veranda. Read this in the meantime.

Tokyo Tournament 

**Chapter Twenty-Eight-A Good Cause**

**Also Entitled: No, It's Not a Charity Foundation**

"Okay," said Term," let me get this straight. You're tying up the Ring guy,"-he motioned to the unconscious form of Wraith, "and throwing him through the wall?"

"Yep," Giyan replied matter-of-factly, "is something wrong with that?"

"Not to me."

"Right then," said Giyan, "any questions?" Lin raised his hand. "Yes? You in the back?"

Lin lowered his arm, "What do we use for rope?"

At this, Yamato's arm extended. Literally. His hand was now connected to the remainder of his arm by a thick metal cable.

"Ah. Okay."

But Tristan spoke up, "Uh, look, I have no sympathies for the spirit of the Ring, but Bakura's our friend. How do we keep him from getting hurt in the process?"

Giyan though for a moment, then muttered to himself for a few seconds, "Well, Bakura and Wraith are light and dark, and since we're in the Shadow Realm…" He walked over to Wraith's unconscious form and tapped him on the head. Wraith's body shimmered momentarily, then split into the Spirit of the Millennium Ring and the young British teenager known as Ryou Bakura. "Now that that's out of the way, would anyone else like to say anything?"

"I would," answered Kirbin. He then said, in a high, squeaky voice, "Ni!"

There was silence for a few moments as everyone stared at him. Then Yamato shook his head and said, "Alright, let's do this."

-…The Tournament Finals…-

Seto Kaiba, millionaire, CEO, champion-level duelist, stared at his opponent, Shaun, teenager, …other stuff…

Shaun: 4000 Kaiba: 4000

Kaiba was scowling, his arms crossed across his chest, a five-card hand held ready, his Duel Disk activated. Shaun looked much more serious than he had before, although he still half-grinned. His Duel Disk was also activated, and he was just now drawing his six cards and preparing to start the duel.

Kaiba was scowling for multiple reasons. The first was that he was Kaiba. The second was because Youkai had placed his brother Mokuba in danger. The third was because Shaun had a Blue Eyes White Dragon. There was a fourth reason as well, but it was one that confused Kaiba. Shaun reminded him of someone, but Kaiba couldn't put his finger on who it was. He only knew it was someone he loathed.

But there was no time to focus on that matter. Shaun had already set three spells or traps and a monster in defense mode and declared the end of his turn. And so Kaiba drew, looked over his hand, and scanned the four cards Shaun had placed. Then a grin crossed his face I have Vorse Raider and Shrink in my hand right now. If I can draw my CRUSH Card, I'll be able to eliminate any strong monsters he may have. I'll soon defeat his Blue Eyes without his being able to disgrace it anymore! "I set one card facedown," declared Kaiba, "and then summon Vorse Raider in attack mode!" The familiar glaive-wielding warrior emerged onto the field, snarling and hefting its weapon as it stared hungrily at Shaun. "Vorse Raider, crush his set monster!" The warrior stamped towards Shaun's set card and swung its blade down, intent on cutting down its prey.

What happened in the next several moments left Kaiba's monster dazed and confused. First it was struck by a white javelin, and then a trio of blue-robed priestesses appeared in its way and formed a barrier of light that thrust it backwards forcefully. "I activated Waboku and Enchanted Javelin," explained Shaun, "which allowed me to negate the damage your Vorse Raider would have dealt and also boosted my Life Points by its Attack Points."

Shaun: 5900 Kaiba: 4000

Kaiba grimaced and crossed his arms, signaling that his turn was over. Shaun calmly drew a card and placed it into his Duel Disk. "I'll just set one card on my field and end my turn."

Kaiba drew and hid his grin Now I'll be able to put my plan into action! Of course, I'll have to wait until my turn is over to activate it, but in the meantime… "I set one card facedown," declared Kaiba as a card appeared next to his first one, "and also summon Enraged Battle Ox (1700/1000), who shall allow me to deal damage through your defenses!" The Vorse Raider turned to look over its shoulder and observed the axe-wielding minotaur approaching from the shadows. It gave its ally a nod, which the Battle Ox returned. Then they both readied their weapons and faced Shaun. "Enraged Battle Ox, destroy his defending monster!" The minotaur clomped forwards rapidly, axe raised. The large blade arced through the air and sliced Shaun's monster cleanly in half, revealing a small flying squirrel, which chattered in panic before it was slaughtered.

"That was my Nimble Momonga (1000/100)," Shaun stated, "upon its death in battle, I gain 1000 Life Points, meaning I only lost a net 600 Life Points from your attack. Not only that, but I may also Special Summon any other Momongas from my deck in facedown defense mode. So I'll summon the other two." Shaun ejected his deck from its slot and briefly sifted through it before taking the other two copies of the card from his deck and placing them on his Duel Disk.

Shaun: 5300 Kaiba: 4000

Kaiba snarled and ended his turn. Shaun's grin slightly widened at the card he drew next, and he held it high. "Now I'll go on the assault! I sacrifice my two monsters to summon my Blue!"

"That's not happening!" yelled Kaiba as he pressed two buttons on his Duel Disk, "I activate my two facedown cards! First, Shrink to cut my Vorse Raider's attack power in half (950/1200), followed by my CRUSH Card!" The Vorse Raider diminished to half its normal size, then burst in a spray of purple. Spiky, glowing balls that somewhat resembled gigantic infected cells spewed from the Raider's corpse and planted themselves on Shaun's deck. "Now you'll be unable to summon monsters with 1500 or less attack power! Not only that, but all monsters with the same high amount of attack points will be discarded from your hand!"

Shaun's grin vanished, and for the first time he seemed to act normally. Then his mouth contorted again into a grin, but this one was different. It was one that showed signs of vengeance being plotted. "Alright, Kaiba," he said in a voice dripping with mock-cheerfulness as he slid the Blue Eyes White Dragon into his graveyard slot, "I'll just end my turn by setting one card facedown." Said card appeared next to Shaun's other two facedown cards, giving him what seemed to be a strong defense.

"It's just as I suspected," stated Kaiba with distaste as he drew, "you rely too much on the Blue Eyes to win your duels. Without it, you can simply defend yourself by hiding behind your Traps. But I'll show you how a real master of dragons duels! I start by playing Graceful Charity!" He snapped three cards off the top of his deck, and a smirk stretched across his face as he examined them. "I choose to discard these two cards," he slipped two others from his hand into his graveyard slot, "then I'll play Silent Doom, reviving my Lord of Dragons (1200/1500) in defense mode!" A large hand emerged from the shadows, palm held downwards. Then a beam of brilliant yellow light extended from it and shot into the ground, pulling up the Lord of Dragons from the earth. "I also play Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw another two cards." As he did so, his grin widened. This duel was going to end now. "Now I play Raigeki, clearing the field of your pathetic monsters!" As Kaiba shoved the card into his Duel Disk, the infamous lightning bolt struck down from the heavens, incinerating Shaun's two facedown Momongas.

"Now," said Kaiba, "now is when this duel ends. I'll take that Blue Eyes from you right here, by defeating you with my own three! I play Advent of White Dragon, sacrificing my Enraged Battle Ox to summon the Paladin of White Dragon (1900/1200)!" As Kaiba spoke, his Battle Ox glowed with a glaring white light. As he finished speaking, it vanished without a sound and was replaced with the blue-armored warrior mounted on the blue-skinned dragon infant. "To replenish my hand, I play Life-Slashing Treasure, which lets me draw until I have five cards in my hand!" He quickly snapped five cards off his deck, then suppressed a laugh of triumph before continuing, "I then play Flute of Summoning Dragon, which allows me to Special Summon the two Blue Eyes White Dragons in my hand!" Shaun's eyes widened as the Lord of Dragons pulled the orange dragon-headed horn from the air and placed it at its lips. The bellow that sounded could only be heard for mere seconds before it was drowned out by the loud roars of the two descending dragons.

The holograms of Kaiba's Duel Disks were very detailed and efficient, but they paled in comparison to the real dragons that flew from above now. Their claws, teeth, wings, and scales all shone and gleamed, reflecting the light about them on razor-sharp edges. The sapphire eyes were deeper, and glowed with electric power. The dragons moved fluidly, each of their body parts in constant motion, unlike their holographic images. Their eyes actually blinked, and their maws did not sag open. These beasts were powerful, yes, but also highly intelligent. They studied their prey with their cunning blue eyes, and knew not to underestimate his power.

But Kaiba was not so cautious, "Now I'll win this duel. My Dragons and Paladin have a combined 7900 attack points, well more than enough to defeat you. Say goodbye, you insane whelp! Attack with White Lightning!" The dragons let out loud, resounding roars and then gathered power to release their electric breath weapons. The white energy crackled and hummed as it increased in magnitude, then released an explosive sound wave as the three streams of power were released, barreling towards Shaun.

-…Youkai's prison…-

Giyan leaned against the stone brick wall, calmly and repeatedly banging his head against it. He did so in such a manner that the magical abilities of the wall did not turn it intangible, but also with just enough velocity that it made his head hurt a small amount with each contact.

"You know," said Zachary, who leaned with his back against the wall just next to Giyan, "that's not going to help at all."

"No," agreed Giyan, "but…it…makes…me…feel…better." He emphasized each word with another jerk of his head against the wall. The plan had proved quite entertaining when put into action. The group got to see the ancient thief hurtling through the air at high velocities. However, it had not progressed their plans of escape in any manner, and they had returned to square one.

"All prisons have some means of escape," stated Term as he observed Giyan's actions, "it's necessary, in case the builder is trapped in one himself. We must have missed something."

"But we didn't," replied Kirbin, "we threw the mop-head through each wall several times, and each time the same thing happened. He popped through the opposite wall and slammed into Yamato's back with a resounding crack. Which was pretty funny, I'll admit…"

Indeed, the results of the escape operation had left the group quite downtrodden. Except for Lin, who found the new discovery about the prison to be exhilarating. He was currently dashing in a straight line through set of walls perpendicular to the one the conversers leaned against. As soon as he reached the wall, he gave a leap and soared through, reappearing several seconds later through the opposite wall before he continued running again, every now and then giving a whoop of simple pleasure. These actions were naturally annoying to a group in deep thought over rather serious matters, and Lin's apparent lack of fatigue was wearing hard on the nerves of several of his comrades.

"So," said Mike, "what options do have left?"

"Well," Kevin spoke, "there's always the way we came in. Through the ceiling I mean."

"Woohoo!" Lin chirped gleefully.

"It's not likely that will work," Kai replied, "Youkai would have intended that path to be one-way."

"Most likely," agreed Giyan as he hit his head against the wall again.

"Woohoo!"

"Well, I really don't feel like just sitting around and doing nothing," said Mai with a tone of impatience, "if we're going to try and get out of here, let's stop thinking and take action!"

"If you have any suggestions on what to do," said Kirbin, "let us know."

"Woohoo!"

"He's got a point, Mai," Tea said, "we've tried just about everything now."

"There's something we've missed," stated Term, "there's always a way out. The reason people don't escape is due to a lack of luck or commitment, not a lack of flaws in the prison. We just have to-" he momentarily stopped speaking to stick his foot out and trip Lin.

"Wooho-WAGH!" Lin flew several feet through the air before his face slammed into the floor with a large SLAM!

"Man, that was annoying," murmured Term.

Giyan snapped his head backwards and spun around. "Term, do that again!"

"What? Well, okay…" Term hefted a dazed Lin up to his feet, then stuck his foot at the man's angles and shoved Lin forward, thus tipping him over in much the same manner he had done several moments ago.

SLAM! "You're paying for my medical bills…"

"That was fun," said Term, "but what was the point of it?"

"The floor," said Giyan, "the floor stayed tangible."

Kirbin slapped his forehead, "Of course..."

"Let me get this straight," said Tristan, "it never occurred to anyone to check the FLOOR? _Everyone_ tries to escape through the floor! It's like a prison movie tradition!"

-…The Tournament Finals…-

Shaun stood strong as the beams of electricity crashed through the air towards him. Then he pressed a button on his Duel Disk and one of his facedown cards flipped up, "I activate Wall of Revealing Light, paying three thousand Life Points to block all attacks against me of that amount or lower!"

Shaun: 2900 Kaiba: 4000

A wall of pure light erected itself in front of Shaun's field. The three draconic attacks dissipated harmlessly on its surface, leaving him completely unharmed. Kaiba growled in anger at seeing his attack foiled.

"Oh, don't feel so bad, Kaiby!" said Shaun in a sing-song voice, "Your attacks wouldn't have hit anyways! That's because one of my other cards was Scapegoat, which I'll activate now to form a barrier in case you get your dragons strong enough to get through my Wall." The four familiar cartoon goat appeared behind Shaun's barrier, giving himself a strong defense against Kaiba's attack force.

That attitude… thought Kaiba, he treats my dragons with so little respect, and he seems casual about everything he does. It's so familiar… "I end my turn."

Shaun quickly drew a card from his deck and glanced at it. An expression of exaggerated disappointment formed on his face, "Well, it looks like I can't use this card right now, so I'll just end my turn without playing anything. Over to you, Kaiby!"

Kaiba breathed angrily at the mocking nickname as he drew. Then his lips pulled back into another cruel smirk as he saw the card he had drawn. "I sacrifice my Paladin to summon the third Blue Eyes White Dragon from my deck!" In a flash of light, the Paladin vanished, and his mount had grown. It now stood next to its brethren, glaring down at Shaun through his Wall of Revealing Light. "Next I play Polymerization, fusing my three dragons together to create the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3800)!" A vortex now formed on Kaiba's field, sucking his three Blue Eyes White Dragons into itself. Then the vortex opened outwards, releasing the hydra-like dragon that was a combination of Kaiba's three Blue Eyes. "My Dragon is, of course, a Fusion, so I can't attack with it this turn. So you have one chance to defend yourself before I bring your defenses down and destroy you!"

Shaun's semi-serious expression returned as he drew, but then it vanished as he set the card he had drawn in his Duel Disk. "I set one card facedown and then activate one I set earlier. Go Token Thanksgiving!" Suddenly, Shaun's four Scapegoats exploded, and he was bathed in a brilliant blue light. "Token Thanksgiving destroys all tokens on the field," Shaun explained, "it then grants me eight hundred Life Points for each one destroyed."

Shaun: 6100 Kaiba: 4000

Kaiba drew his card and leered at Shaun, "What goes on in that mind of yours? In case you haven't noticed, my Ultimate Dragon is now free to blow you apart! And since you were nice enough to give yourself enough Life Points to exceed mine, I can now equip my Dragon with this: Megamorph!" A yellow circular symbol etched itself on each of the heads of the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, which began to grow. It soon towered over the field, twice as large and powerful as before (9000/3800). "Now, my Ultimate Dragon, attack him directly! Neutron Blast!" An immense ball of electric power formed between the three towering heads of the dragon. As it reached a size as large as half the room, it as released, barreling towards Shaun. The Wall of Revealing Light burst apart as the immense blast connected with it and soared onwards. Shaun would be defeated and most likely vaporized if the blow hit.

"I activate Negate Attack!" declared Shaun as a pick barrier rose up directly in front of him. This barrier held where the first had fallen, and the blast deflected upwards, soon vanishing into the abyss above.

Kaiba yelled out in fury at seeing his victory being snatched away. He clenched both hands into fists and shook with rage as he practically screamed out the end of his turn.

Shaun drew with a sweep of his hand. He was both nervous and cocky from the immense dragon before him and his simple blocking of its attack. "I place a monster in defense mode. Let's see if your high and mighty dragon can reach me this time."

Kaiba glared at the card Shaun had placed as if in an effort to burn it to cinders with his gaze, them ripped a card from his Duel Disk. He glared at the useless card with an even more intense gaze, then pointed at the monster Shaun had set. "Blue Eyes, vaporize his monster! Neutron Blast!" Once again the immense dragon formed its great attack and blasted at Shaun's field. This time the attack was unhindered as it passed through the Wall of Revealing Light instantly and smashed into Shaun's monster.

The card was obliterated, but Kaiba was confused when he saw a new one take its place. "You destroyed my Bubonic Vermin (900/700)," said Shaun with a grin, "and when you flipped it I summoned a second in its place facedown."

Kaiba's head looked ready to explode.

Shaun took Kaiba's reaction to mean his turn was over, and so he drew a card to begin his turn. As he looked at the card, he closed his eyes. This was the moment, the turn that would decide the duel. "I set one card facedown," the single card appeared next to his Wall of Revealing Light, "I also flip up my Bubonic Vermin, summoning the last one facedown." The tiny rodent appeared before him. In trembled in the presence of Kaiba's dragon and shrank away in fear.

"Fool!" Kaiba exclaimed, "You've just given me a target! What was the point of that?"

"I need to increase the chances of drawing the cards I need," explained Shaun as he slid the last card in his hand into his graveyard, "I play Card of Sanctity! Now we both get fresh hands!" Shaun smirked slightly as he drew six cards and Kaiba drew three. And as he looked over the new cards, Shaun knew the duel was his. "I flip up the last Bubonic Vermin," he stated, and a second rat appeared next to his first.

"Feh," spat Kaiba, "just another lamb to the slaughter."

"That's what you think," shot Shaun, "but I place two cards facedown, then activate the card I just set, Gryphon's Feather Duster!" A fierce gale swept across Shaun's field, blowing apart the two cards he had just set as well as his Wall of Revealing Light.

"You're insane," declared Kaiba, "you just wasted two of your cards."

"Did I?" questioned Shaun with a look of confusion, "So you mean I don't get to summon two Wicked Tokens (1000/1000) from the effect of my two Statues of the Wicked that were just destroyed?" At his words, two golden serpents with claws extending from just below their heads appeared. Each had ruby eyes and a headdress adorned with a sapphire at its center. "Not only that, but I gain 500 Life Points for each card Gryphon's Feather Duster destroyed."

Shaun: 7600 Kaiba: 4000

"Now allow me to remind you about a certain card you played," said Shaun, "you see, that CRUSH Card may prevent me from summoning monsters with over 1500 attack strength, but it only lasts three turns. And my last turn was the third turn after its activation." Kaiba's eyes widened at the implications behind this simple statement. Shaun was going to- "I play Monster Reborn, reviving my Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500)!" Between Shaun's puny monsters now stood the beautiful form of one of the dragons Kaiba had summoned previously. But still it was a dwarf in comparison to Kaiba's Dragon. "Now I equip my dragon with United We Stand, increasing its attack and defense by 800 for each face-up monster on my field!" The Blue Eyes roared as four streams of energy connected it to Shaun's other monsters and it glowed with power (7000/6500).

"You're an even greater fool than I thought," sneered Kaiba, "it doesn't matter how powerful your dragon is, because mine can simply crush one of your rats and wipe out your Life Points!"

"This is true," admitted Shaun, " but you will not be given that opportunity. I now empty my hand by setting my final two cards facedown. End turn."

Kaiba drew and grinned, knowing he was about to win. He opened his mouth to declare an attack-

But Shaun cut him off. "I activate my Mystic Wok, which allows me to sacrifice a monster to add its attack or defense to my Life Points."

Kaiba looked a bit crestfallen. Now Shaun would have enough Life Points to survive his attack. Still, his dragon would be significantly weakened by the losses of two monsters, and soon he would strike it down and tear Shaun apart to win the-

"I choose to sacrifice my Blue Eyes White Dragon," Shaun stated.

Kaiba was now foaming at the mouth, "_WHAT?_"

But Shaun's order carried through, and his dragon glowed a magnificent blue before turning into a stream of energy that wrapped around Shaun. The Life Point boost was so great that Shaun was now wrapped within an aura of life energy.

Shaun: 14600 Kaiba: 4000

"FOOL!" Kaiba bellowed in rage, "You cast aside your mighty dragon to feel a bit healthier? How DARE you abuse the majestic Blue Eyes!"

"You're the one acting like a fool, Kaiba," stated Shaun, "the dragon is unharmed, it is simply in my graveyard now. I respect the Blue Eyes for its great strength and the strength it gives me, but I shall choose how to use this strength. There are things more important now than the honor of the dragon. In case you haven't noticed, the fates of your brother and the world are at stake." Kaiba stopped cold at these words, knowing full well that they were true. "Besides, the dragon's sacrifice was not in vain, because it will allow me to survive this next card unscathed: activate Ring of Destruction!"

Kaiba gasped in horror as the large metal collar that he had used so much in his duels now wrapped itself about his prize monster, the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. Then the discs about the collar exploded, destroying his dragon. Then flames enveloped the field, greatly singing his clothing and skin as he took nine thousand points of direct damage. Shaun took hardly any physical damage, as the aura surrounding him flared and absorbed the damage, keeping him safe. After the explosions ended, Kaiba's body, badly burned, collapsed on the floor.

Shaun: 5600 Kaiba: 0

The remaining monsters on Shaun's field faded, and the duel ended. Joey and Nick worked together to carry Kaiba off the field, careful not to cause any more damage to his body. Then Yami stepped forward. Shaun remained on the field, ready to engage in his second straight duel in a very short amount of time. And while he knew he had just outright dominated Kaiba, he also knew he would have to display an even greater amount of skill and power to compete with the Pharaoh.

-…Youkai's prison…-

"Stuff's pretty hard to get through," observed Zachary as he watched Giyan, Term, Kirbin, and Lin attempt to make a dent in the brick floor.

"It's a magical substance," Kai stated, "its purpose is to withstand great abuse. And with Youkai powering it, there should be great difficulty in breaking through it."

"Alright," said Kirbin, "my turn." His right arm suddenly became encased in rock, and he thrust it with all his might against the ground. The rock around his arm cracked and crumbled to dust, and the floor was unharmed.

Term sighed in frustration, "Great. The floor's impenetrable."

"Nothing's impenetrable," replied Kirbin, who then cringed and shook his stinging arm. Joy gave him a sympathetic look and took hold of the arm, causing Kirbin to blush.

The conversation was stopped as Kaiba fell through the ceiling and landed headfirst on the floor. Mokuba immediately ran to his elder brother's side and began to attempt to wake him. "There, proof," said Term, "it withstanded a blow from Kaiba's head. It's impenetrable." Mokuba shot him a glare that proved he was Kaiba's younger brother and kicked Term in the shin.

"Well, one more option," said Giyan, "Hey, Yamato!"

Yamato, who had been sitting with Serenity and explaining some basic Duel Monsters strategies to her, looked over his shoulder at Giyan, "What?"

"You know that Redeemer weapon you were telling me about a few days ago?"

"Yes. What of it?"

"You got one with you?"

-End of Chapter 28-

So there you have it. Seeker, as I promised, Kaiba got his ass handed to him by Shaun. And now we move straight from the second match of the quarterfinals to the first match of the semifinals! Yugi, Shaun, Joey, and Nick remain. Who shall emerge victorious and duel Youkai? And what is the Redeemer that Giyan speaks of? Well, those of you who play Unreal Tournament will probably already know…

End-of-episode-credits thingy! HUTTAH!


	29. Escaping Fate

I have crawled back from the depths of yet another writer's block. In my triumphant return, I bring with me…this chapter. Woohoo…

The Helldragon: The Redeemer is the most powerful gun in all three editions of Unreal Tournament. It is actually more of a tactical nuke. 'Nuff said.

KHAN!

**Tokyo Tournament**

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: Escaping Fate**

**Also Entitled: Getting Away From Destiny…What? It's Not the EXACT Same Thing!**

"Let me get this straight," said Tristan, "you're carrying around a highly destructive device. One which could have gone off at any time and killed everyone attending the tournament. And now we're going to BLOW IT UP IN THIS ROOM?"

"Please stop yelling," said Yamato, who was now fiddling with a foot-long explosive shell, "you're making it more difficult for me to concentrate."

"Yeah, Tristan," agreed Tea, "stop criticizing the guy with the nuclear shell." Tristan quieted down at that.

"I will not be detonating the shell in this room," said Yamato as he continued re-wiring the Redeemer shell, "once I have finished modifying it for remote detonation, I will find a way to implant the shell within the floor. That is where the problem lies, however. Not only do we have no prepared method for planting the shell, but we are depending on the floor to shield us from the blast while also giving way to the explosion."

"There's a conundrum," commented Lin as he parried a swipe from Term. The two were currently sparring in the limited space available, Lin using his sword and Term his strange claws.

"I can handle both," said Giyan, "it will be difficult, however."

"What do you have in mind?" asked Term as he blocked a strike from Lin with a flick of his arm.

"I can manipulate objects to some degree in the Shadow Realm," Giyan explained, "it will take some effort, but I'm pretty sure I can form a bubble around the shell. The bubble will nudge aside the brick of the floor and get the shell in position. As soon as the nuke detonates, I'll take the bubble down."

"And the resulting explosion?" queried Lin as he ducked another strike.

"I can form a larger, stronger bubble around us," Giyan stated, "I may have to lie down after a while later on, but my force bubble and the floor's strength should be enough to shield us from the blast. Hopefully, the floor won't hold, but my power will."

"Wonderful," sighed Mai, "so your plan works or we all die."

"No one ever accomplished anything without taking a risk," replied Term as he leapt backwards from a horizontal slash.

"It will only take me a few more minutes to finish modifying the shell," reported Yamato, "hopefully, everything will go right."

Serenity watched as Lin and Term sparred, "Isn't it kind of dangerous for you to be cutting at each other like that?"

"Nah," said Lin, "we've done this often enough that we can predict each other's attacks. We're actually about even in skill and neither of us is trying too hard anyways."

"It may not look like it, but we're actually going much slower than we could be," said Term, "there's not going to be a winner to this little fight."

"Don't be so sure," said Lin with a smirk.

"Oh, please," Term said as he rolled his eyes, "we know each other's tricks, there are no x-factors here."

"Except for one," said Lin as he leapt backwards from one of Term's strikes. Rather than simply landing on his feet, however, the jump carried him backwards into the wall behind him. He quickly emerged from the wall behind Term and whirled about. Term immediately spun on his heel to meet Lin, but was too late. Lin grabbed Term's arm, spun about, and heaved him over his shoulder into the wall he had just come through. Then Lin turned again as Term flew through the opposite wall. Just as a stunned Term came up to him, Lin struck with his left fist and pounded Term in the jaw. Term flipped through the air and fell hardon the floor.

Term slowly stood up and rubbed his jaw, "I hate you."

Lin simply grinned, "I know!"

-…The Tournament Finals…-

Yami drew five cards from his already-shuffled deck and waited for Shaun to finish shuffling his own deck. Yami knew that while Shaun seemed to possess few terribly destructive cards in his deck, this duel would still be a difficult one. Shaun had a very unorthodox strategy, which made it more difficult for Yami to anticipate the boy's actions. The number of cards he had used to defend himself and increase his Life Points in the past two duels was a very high amount, and Yami had had to make changes to his deck to compensate for these cards. However, he doubted such minor changes would greatly affect the duel. Instead, as much as he regretted it, he might be forced to rely upon a single card. The card would instantly remove one aspect from Shaun's strategy. Yami hoped it would make a large enough impact.

Shaun finished shuffling his cards and slid his deck into his Duel Disk. Then he copied Yami's previous action by drawing a five-card hand. "You can take the first move, Pharaoh," he offered.

Yami nodded in response and drew a sixth card, and the duel was on.

Shaun: 4000 Yami: 4000

"I begin this duel with Card Destruction!" called out Yami as he placed the card in his Duel Disk. Both he and Shaun discarded their five-card hands and drew new ones. "However, I'm far from done!" declared Yami as he slid a card into one of his Duel Disk's Spell/Trap slots, "I play Silent Doom, which will Special Summon a monster I discarded. Come forth, Baffomet (1400/1800)!" The monster that emerged by the effect of Yami's card was a demonic, red-skinned humanoid. It stood upon two legs, and four clawed arms extended from its torso. Black hair sprouted from the back of its neck in a clumped heap, and from the small of its back two white, feathered wings had sprouted. It crouched to the ground in a defensive position and shot Shaun a feral glare from beneath the two curved yellow horns that stuck out of the sides of its head.

"By the effect of Baffomet," stated Yami, "I now place Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1200) into my hand." His Duel Disk ejected a single card from his deck, and Yami added it to his hand shortly before selecting another card to play, "I activate Polymerization, fusing Baffomet together with Gazelle!" Gazelle momentarily appeared next to Baffomet. Its brown fur and black mane made it look much less unnatural than Baffomet, though it still bore a small horn on its head. The two monsters were then sucked into a vortex and merged together. What then emerged from the vortex highly resembled Baffomet and Gazelle crammed together, with Gazelle's head extending from the right side of its torso and Baffomet's from the other side. The beast had the same shade of fur as Gazelle, and also had Baffomet's wings.

"Behold, Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast (2100/1800)!" declared Yami, "And I shall also summon Obnoxious Celtic Guardian (1400/1200) from my hand to the field!" The ever-familiar elven warrior appeared next to the twin-headed beast, its broadsword held ready. "Finally, I set one card facedown and end my turn," a facedown card appeared behind Yami's two monsters, and Shaun began his turn.

Shaun examined the five-card hand he had drawn from Card Destruction along with the card he had just drawn from his deck. He then took three of the six cards in his hand and slid them into his Duel Disk. "I summon a monster in defense mode and place two cards facedown. That's all." The three stated cards appeared, facedown, on his field.

Yami drew a card and pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "I activate Dust Tornado, to destroy your right facedown card!" Yami's card flipped up and an immense whirlwind burst into existence. The twister tore across the field on a path towards Shaun's facedown card. However, just before the Tornado reached the card, Shaun's other card flipped up, revealing a green-framed card that depicted canned meat and saltine crackers. Then Shaun's facedown card shimmered out of existence before the Dust Tornado reached it, and the cyclone vanished.

"I activated the quick-play Spell card Emergency Provisions," explained Shaun, "rather than losing my card and receiving nothing in return, sacrificed it to gain 1000 Life Points."

Shaun: 5000 Yami: 4000

While Yami saw that his Trap had failed, he also saw that Shaun had no facedown cards remaining on the field. This gave him the perfect opportunity to strike. He looked over his hand and paused for a moment as he saw the card he had drawn. He felt a small surge of confidence as he realized that in just a few turns he could bring Shaun's strategy down. "I set one card facedown," the pharaoh declared as the card shimmered into view before him, "and then Chimera shall attack your facedown monster! Clear his field of defenders!" The winged beast flapped its immense wings and took flight, gliding a short distance above the ground. At immense speed, it rammed the facedown monsters with both heads, revealing a brown and white flying squirrel before skewering it with all three horns.

Shaun: 6000: Yami: 4000

"You destroyed Nimble Momonga (1000/100)," stated Shaun, "and because of that, I gain 1000 Life Points and Special Summon the other two from my deck in facedown defense mode." He took the two stated cards from his deck and laid them on his Duel Disk, and the cards shimmered into view in front of him.

Yami bit his lip for a moment as he contemplated attacking another of Shaun's Momongas. One the one hand, Shaun's already high Life Points would increase even further when the squirrel was destroyed. On the other, Yami needed to clear the field to make way for his monsters to attack. He glanced at the one card remaining in his hand and made up his mind, "Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, attack another of the Momonga!" The elf readied its broadsword and ran forth, swiftly striking down one of the two remaining Momongas. Shaun's Life Points, however, still increased.

Shaun: 7000 Yami: 4000

Yami nodded at Shaun, and the boy drew to begin his turn. "I set two cards facedown," Shaun stated, "as well as another defensive monster. Then I end my turn." The three cards appeared in front of him, the monster next to his already-set Nimble Momonga and the other two behind each of them.

Yami raised his eyebrow for a moment, wondering why Shaun had not set either card in the previous turn. And then he realized Shaun had fooled him. Shaun's deck seemed extremely reliant on Spells and Traps, so Yami's ability to limit the usage of those cards would be critical. However, Yami only had a handful of methods of doing so, and Dust Tornado had been one. By only setting Emergency Provisions and the card he had intended to sacrifice, Shaun had given Yami the choice of only those two targets, and Dust Tornado had been virtually wasted. Yami could only wonder how many more of Shaun's cards would prevent him from disrupting Shaun's strategy.

"I draw," Yami declared. He looked at the card and smiled. He was ready to put his plan into action…but he would have to get one more card to assure that it would work. "Obnoxious Celtic Guardian will cut down the final Momonga!" Once more, the elf warrior dashed forth and cleanly cut through Shaun's set card, and the final flying squirrel was vanquished. Huzzah…

Shaun: 8000 Yami: 4000

"Now," Yami continued, "Chimera shall destroy your set monster!" The winged beast took flight again, then surged down and slammed into Shaun's set monster. The card was revealed to be a large black bear before Yami's twin-headed beast gored it to death.

"My monster was Mother Grizzly (1400/1000)," stated Shaun as he took his deck out of his Duel Disk's slot, "and her effect allows me to Special Summon a Water monster with 1500 or less attack points." He grinned that strange grin of his as he found the desired monster. "I summon my persona favorite monster, Catapult Turtle (1000/2000)!" The large, mechanical turtle appeared in the Grizzly's place, its turret locked on to Yami. The pharaoh grimaced as he saw the card that had dealt the finishing blow to Term appear, and he finished his turn.

Shaun drew, and he smiled. "I activate both of my facedown cards," he announced, "reveal Scapegoat and Gift of the Mystical Elf. So I summon four Scapegoats (0/0) to the field and then gain 300 for each monster on the field." The four circular, multicolored goats appeared on the field. Then the Mystical Elf appeared with a globe of white light between her hands, which she handed to Shaun. By now the blue energy that had been surrounding Shaun in his last duel had flared around him once more with brilliant strength.

Shaun: 10100 Yami: 4000

Yami grimaced some more. Shaun so far hadn't dealt a single Life Point of damage so far, yet he still had a tremendous tactical advantage. Yami had to end the duel soon, or else Shaun's Life Points would reach an amount that he would be unable to bring down.

"The Life Point gain was just for insurance," stated Shaun, "because I plan to end this duel here and now. In case you hadn't noticed, one of my Scapegoats is in attack mode." At this comment, Yami blinked. Then he looked at the Scapegoats and saw that the orange one was staring through closed eyes at him, rather than dozing like the other three.

"That makes absolutely no sense," stated Yami in disbelief, "Scapegoats have absolutely no attack points, why would you do this?"

"You'll see right about now," assured Shaun, "now, I place my Catapult Turtle in defense mode." The mechanical terrapin shifted its anchorage a bit, presumably so as to better withstand an attack. "Then I equip my Scapegoat with United We Stand." The orange Scapegoat suddenly glowed with a great yellow aura as strands of energy connected it with its three goat brethren and the Catapult Turtle. The tiny, fluffy goat now surged with unseen strength as it reached a level of power equal to that of Obelisk the Tormentor (4000/4000).

Seeing the mixed look of horror and pure shock on Yami's face, Shaun unexpectedly burst into laughter. After a few seconds, he caught his breath and recovered his composure. A huge grin was plastered on his face now as he said, "I'm sorry, but this is too funny! I'm about to win the duel with a Scapegoat! I could've just equipped my Catapult Turtle with United We Stand, but I figured I'd be a little more cautious. Plus, this way is funnier! Now, my mighty Scapegoat of doom, attack Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!"

The orange Scapegoat let out a strange noise and hopped forward, preparing to smite the guardian with its great strength. And Yami knew he was in trouble. While the Scapegoat could not destroy his Guardian, as it had over 1900 attack points now, it would deal him a total of 2600 points of damage. Then, Shaun could simply sacrifice the goat to his Catapult Turtle's effect. And Yami had no way to counter the effect of Catapult Turtle… "I activate Mirror Force!" yelled Yami as his card flipped up. A blue, reflective surface appeared in front of his field, and the pumped-up Scapegoat slammed headlong into it and was destroyed.

Shaun frowned at this latest turn of events. Now Yami was left to continue his attempts to clear the field and, for the moment, Shaun was out of tricks. "I set on card facedown," he stated, "and then end my turn."

Yami drew, and a smirk began to form on his lips. "I order Chimera to destroy Catapult Turtle!" he cried. The great beast took flight once more, and then came down upon the large turtle with all its weight. The great turtle's hard shell cracked, and then the terrapin gave a strange cry of agony as the rest of its body began cracking as well before a sudden spark set off within the catapult's launching mechanism, blowing it apart in a spectacular burst of red energy.

"Now I activate De-Fusion from my hand!" Yami continued as he slammed the quick-play card into his Duel Disk. "Now my Chimera will split into its original Fusion components!" The form of Chimera shifted, and split along its middle. The two halves of its body were swiftly torn apart, and then re-grew the limbs they had lost in the previous fusion in the blink of an eye. "Now, I command my three monsters to attack your Scapegoats! Clear Shaun's field of monsters!" Simultaneously, all three of Yami's monsters leapt forward and felled Shaun's small goats. Gazelle pinned one and bit into it, Baffomet slashed at another with its four claws, and the Guardian cleaved the final one in half. Now, all that remained on Shaun's field was a single facedown card.

"And now, this duel ends," stated Yami. He swept his three monsters off of his Duel Disk; "My monsters have served me well in clearing your field. And now I sacrifice all three of them to ensure that it remains that way." He slammed one of the two cards in his hand onto his Duel Disk, "I summon Slifer the Sky Dragon (1000/1000)!"

Yami's three monsters vanished, and from the ground emerged the awe-inspiring sight of the god of the dead. Its great red- and black-scaled body rose up…and rose…and rose…and rose… Slifer's sinuous form extended to a measurement that seemed to be miles long, and there was obviously more of its body unseen, as it was still at least partially embedded in the ground. In the Shadow Realm, Slifer looked infinitely more powerful than Kaiba's Duel Disk systems rendered it. The blue jewel on its head seemed to practically pulse with power, and the two immense, teeth-filled maws beneath it were crackling with energy. Slifer's two fully extended wings now eclipsed the field, though they were small compared to the rest of the divine dragon's body. Lastly, the two, weak-looking claws just beneath its wings were razor-sharp, and looked as ready to reap destruction as the rest of Slifer's arsenal.

"With only one card in my hand, Slifer is far from his full potential," stated Yami, "however, I aim to repair that problem now. I play Card of Sanctity." Shaun grimaced as Yami played the card. The both of them drew six cards from their decks, and with this action Slifer's power increased sixfold (6000/6000). "I then set one card facedown and end my turn." (Slifer: 5000/5000).

Before Yami drew, Yami spoke to him, "I'm sorry to have to revert to using the gods, Shaun. However, it was the best way possible to deal with your strategy. I've noticed you use a great deal of cards that allow you to summon weak monsters quickly. Slifer's second mouth ability, however, will prevent you from doing so. Also, Slifer's immunities will prevent you from defending yourself with most of your Spells and Traps. This duel is over!"

Shaun drew his card with uncharacteristic silence. He then placed one card in his Duel Disk. "I play Graceful Charity, to draw three cards and then discard two." He snapped the cards off his deck and examined them. Then, with a grin, he added two to his hand and selected another card from it. The selected card and one drawn card left over were sent into his graveyard with a tiny shove. "You have just sealed your own fate, Yami," he declared with a small grin, "by allowing me to draw so many cards, you have given me the cards I need to finish this duel here and now."

Yami looked at Shaun in disbelief, but caught himself. Yes, he himself had been in many circumstances much like the one Shaun was in now, including one instance in which he had been staring down the exact same monster that hovered over his field. He could not doubt Shaun's ability to back up his statement.

"I start with Mystical Space Typhoon," stated Shaun, "that blows your facedown card away." A black monsoon descended upon Yami's card, and shattered it into pixels.

_That doesn't have me too worried,_ thought Yami, _my Spellbinding Circle was just for insurance. He'll still have to work to get around Slifer's effect and still have a monster with 5000 attack points left over._

"Now I play Silent Death, as you did," Shaun continued, "and I choose to Special Summon Catapult Turtle from my graveyard." The turtle-like weapon re-emerged onto the field, and set its launched.

"Slifer's ability activates now!" declared Yami, "your monster is now drained of 2000 defense points! Summon Lightning Impact!" Slifer opened it top mouth, and a great sphere of yellow energy burst forth. The ensuing blast left the Catapult Turtle much worse for wear, its previously gleaming shell now charred and dented (1000/0).

"That won't matter now," Shaun stated, "I now play Monster Reborn." The overly-used card slid into his Duel Disk, and next to his Turtle a vortex formed on the ground. From it emerged a sight that always drew attention to itself. "I summon the Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500), which I just discarded!" The white-scaled dragon spread its wings and let out a roar of challenge towards Slifer, despite the fact that it was clearly out-matched. Still, now Shaun had his own dragon to battle for him.

"Your dragon is normally strong," stated Yami, "but Slifer shall weaken it to a level so low even my weaker monsters will be able to deal with it. Summon Lightning Impact!" Slifer's mouth opened again, and a burst of energy shot out of its maw and impacted against the Blue Eyes White Dragon's gleaming white scales. The dragon let out a cry of agony as it was greatly weakened (1000/2500).

"I'm far from done," stated Shaun, "I equip Blue Eyes White Dragon with Megamorph."

Yami blinked in surprise. The Dragon now shrank to half its original size, as Shaun's Life Points were greater than Yami's. "Why would you play that card in these circumstances?" questioned Yami, "Your dragon has now lost half its original attack, giving it a practically nonexistent strength (0/2500)."

"That's true," agreed Shaun, "but it won't remain that way for long. You see, I knew you would try to use Slifer's ability to thwart my deck's strategy, so I prepared myself to counter that ability. Now, my single set card will not only counter Slifer's Summon Lightning Impact…but take advantage of it. I activate Reverse Trap!" Shaun's card flipped up, revealing a picture of a strange humanoid wearing an eyed headdress. "Now, the deductions caused by Slifer's effect will be turned into increases! My Catapult Turtle now gains 2000 defense points (1000/4000), but more importantly my Blue Eyes White Dragon will get every last bit of its strength back, plus an additional 3500 attack points due to the reversal of its loss of strength from Slifer and Megamorph (6500/2500)!" Now Shaun's mighty white dragon enlarged. It grew to an immense height, and let out a bellow that shook the arena.

"Now it ends," said Shaun, "your field is empty of spells and traps, and I can simply sacrifice my dragon to Catapult Turtle's effect to finish you off after it has attacked." He bowed his head and took a small breath, then continued, "Sorry, Yami, but it's over."

Yami took several steps back as he gazed upon the dragon that Shaun had called upon. Its might now was greater than Slifer's, and there was no way he could keep such a monstrosity from attacking. And there was also no way he could negate the damage from Catapult Turtle's effect.

"Now to begin the end!" shouted Shaun, "Blue Eyes White Dragon, attack with White Lightning!" The dragon gathered white energy in its mouth, then released a blast greater than the ones Slifer had moments ago. The stream of energy struck Slifer, causing the god to cry out in pain. Then the serpentine dragon slowly fell, dead. And the excess energy from the dragon's blast continued on its path directly towards Yami.

"It's not over yet, Shaun!" yelled Yami as he slid one card from his hand into his graveyard, "I discard Kuriboh, negating all damage your Blue Eyes would deal to me from this battle!" In front of him, a familiar brown ball of fur appeared. Its big, yellow eyes were set in a determined expression, and it flung itself bravely into the blast that the Blue Eyes White Dragon had unleashed. The brave little creature absorbed every last bit of the blast, then vanished, leaving Yami safe, at least for one more turn.

"You're as lucky as ever, Pharaoh," stated Shaun with a small smile, "I can't finish you off in this turn, but I can at least deal as much damage as I possibly can." He turned to look at his dragon; "My Blue Eyes will lose all its attack strength once my turn ends, as Reverse Trap only works for one turn. So now I sacrifice him to my Catapult Turtle's effect." His dragon spread its wings and leapt straight upwards, then hovered several meters above the ground and made its way towards the crouching Turtle. Once it was positioned directly of the Catapult Turtle's launcher, it transformed into pure white and blue energy, which settled on the turret. Then the Catapult Turtle opened fire, and the mass of white energy surged towards Yami.

While Yami knew he had enough Life Points to survive the blast, he also knew that such a blow would severely injure if not kill him if it hit. With that thought in mind, he called upon the ancient magical energies of the Millennium Puzzle and erected a great golden barrier in front of him. The blast struck his barrier, and both masses of energy shuddered as they battled against each other. Yami's barrier soon won, and the blast from Catapult Turtle dissipated. Yami allowed the barrier to fall, and took a great breath after having deflected the blast.

Shaun: 10100 Yami: 750

Shaun took a moment to take this development in, then slowly came to a decision. "I think my Catapult Turtle will turn into more of a liability in the coming turn than anything else, so I'll sacrifice it to its own effect to deal you a further 500 points of damage." The turtle itself transformed into a mass of energy, this one the pinkish shade it usually launched. Without a catapult to launch from, the mass of energy just surged towards Yami of its own accord. Yami drew up another mass of energy to block the blast. While this one was much weaker than the first, he was still very much drained from his last defensive effort. Still, he managed to shield himself from the burst, and he fell to his knees after the effort.

Shaun: 10100 Yami: 250

Shaun selected two of the three remaining cards in his hand and set them on the field. "Two cards facedown, and that will be all."

Yami drew, a bit more sluggishly than normal, but Shaun cut him off before he could even glance at the card. "I activate Call of the Haunted," Shaun stated as the card in front of him flipped up, "and I re-summon my Blue Eyes White Dragon, this time with its normal attack and defense (3000/2500)." His dragon burst up from the ground for the second time, and let out a bellow that spelled out Yami's doom. _Yami has fought well,_ thought Shaun,_ but now, there is no way he can win. With Harpie's Feather Duster in my hand, any Spells or Traps he tries to use to buy himself time will be useless, and there aren't any monsters he can summon to protect himself for long. Plus, even if he does summon a monster stronger than my dragon, my facedown Wall of Revealing Light will block anything he summons with up to 10000 attack points._

"I play Pot of Greed," Yami announced as he played the card and then drew two more from his deck. He took a glance at the cards and smiled weakly. He then struggled to his feet and looked at Shaun, "I have drawn the cards that will put me on the path to defeat you, Shaun. First, I play a card I placed into my deck just for you. I noticed you use quite a few revival cards, so I decided to place this in my deck for when we faced each other. Now, I play Card of Safe Return!" A card appeared in front of him, depicting a man hunched on the ground in apparent pain as three large cards hovered above him. This was a card that had been used against him when he had faced down Slifer, but now he intended to exploit its effect.

"Now, every time a card is summoned from the graveyard, I draw a card," Yami stated, "while this effect is almost never extremely useful, I believe I can make use of it. Now, I play Monster Reborn, reviving Slifer the Sky Dragon (4000/4000)!" Yami's immense god card reappeared on the field, now greater and more powerful than Shaun's Blue Eyes White Dragon. It let out a roar of fury at seeing the monster that had defeated it so recently. "And because I summoned Slifer from the graveyard, I draw a card from the effect of Card of Safe Return!" He snapped another card off of his deck (Slifer: 5000/5000) and silently prayed before looking at it. There was one card he could draw that would shift the tide of the duel, and potentially grant him victory. He flipped the card over and smiled as he saw the card he needed.

"Now, I'll take control of this duel!" yelled Yami as he slid the card he had drawn into his Duel Disk (Slifer: 4000/4000), "I play Necromancy, which will summon four random monsters from your graveyard to the field." By playing this card, Yami knew he was making a great gambit. If his card summoned Catapult Turtle to the field, his plan would fail. He was actually relying upon Shaun having discarded a weak monster at some point in the duel. But, much to his relief, all three of Shaun's destroyed Momongas and a Bubonic Vermin (900/700) appeared on the field. "And because of the effect of Card of Safe Return, I now draw four cards (Slifer: 8000/8000)!" He snapped four cards off his deck, and didn't bother to glance at them. He already had the cards he needed to complete his plan held ready. "And now Slifer's effect will drain the monsters summoned by Necromancy of 2000 defense points! Since none of them have that amount, they will all be destroyed! Summon Lightning Impact!" Slifer opened its top mouth for the third time in the duel, and released four bursts of powerful energy that consumed Shaun's four new monsters. "And that's not all," stated Yami, "because monsters summoned by Necromancy were destroyed, the Blue Eyes White Dragon will now lose 600 attack points for each one!" The four spirits of the destroyed monsters rose up from the ground, then converged on Shaun's dragon, which let out a cry of pain as its power dropped significantly (600/2500).

Shaun wiped away the beads of sweat that had begun to form on his brow. _That's still not quite enough, but now he has eight cards in his hand. And from the looks of it, he already has the means necessary to give Slifer enough power to run through my Wall if I choose to activate it._

Yami was still far from done, "I play Shallow Grave, allowing us both to summon a monster from our graveyard in facedown defense mode! And, thanks to Card of Safe Return, I'll draw two cards as a result (Slifer: 9000/9000)!" Both duelists selected a monster from their graveyards and set it on the field. Slifer's second mouth opened once again and shot at Shaun's set monster. The Catapult Turtle, however, survived the blast (1000/0).

"And now for the final touch," stated Yami, "I play Book of Taiyou, flipping up my set monster, the Magician of Faith (300/400)." A blue-robed female spellcaster with pale skin, a purple ponytail, and a scepter with a golden crescent moon at its head appeared on the field. Then it waved its staff, which glowed a bright green. "Magician of Faith now allows me to choose a Spell card in my graveyard and add it to my hand." His Duel Disk ejected his graveyard, and he searched a few cards down before he selected the one he wanted. "Now I replay Necromancy, reviving three more monsters from your graveyard!" Now two of Shaun's Momongas and the same Bubonic Vermin from earlier reappeared on the field, not joined by the final Momonga since Shaun didn't have enough open monster zones. "Now Slifer's effect activates! Summon Lightning Impact!" Slifer once more opened its top mouth, and this time shot out three separate blasts of energy that consumed Shaun's three monsters. Then their spirits rose up and drained the Blue Eyes White Dragon of its remaining strength (0/2500). "Lastly, because three monsters were revived from the graveyard, I now draw three cards from the effect of Card of Safe Return (Slifer: 11000/11000)."

Shaun gaped for several moments at Slifer the Sky Dragon, which now had enough power to finish him off all on its own. Shaun's Wall of Revealing Light was useless to him now, and there was no way to protect himself this time. "Well done, Yami," said Shaun with a small smile, "you have performed spectacularly, and in the end proved your true strength. Now…finish it."

"Very well," answered Yami, "Slifer, attack the Blue Eyes White Dragon! Thunder Force!" Now, the Egyptian god finally opened its bottom mouth, and released a stream of power greater than the others it had unleashed combined. The yellow stream of energy surged forth and struck the weakened Blue Eyes White Dragon, and in a massive explosion incinerated it. The shock wave from the blast knocked Shaun off his feet, and he flew backwards before sliding along the floor and coming to a stop quite a distance away from the arena.

Shaun: 0 Yami: 250

Yami sighed as he allowed himself to drop to his knees. Slifer's massive form faded into the Shadows, as did that of the much smaller Magician of Faith. "It was a good duel, Shaun," he murmured, "you fought well, and it was only through a great deal of luck and determination that I was able to defeat you. I congratulate you on your effort."

At that moment, Yami felt a hand on his shoulder, and he looked up to see Joey looking down at him. "Good job, Pharaoh," he said, "get a bit of rest, now, 'cause you'll need it when we duel each other right after this."

Yami smiled at his remark and nodded, then allowed Yugi to take control of his body. While he had not physically exerted himself, the deflecting of Shaun's blows had somewhat depleted his magical energies, and he needed a break.

Yugi took a look at over where Shaun had landed, and saw Nick dragging him towards where the others' bodies had been collected. From the way Nick was treating Shaun's body, it seemed he had suffered only minor injuries. Yugi stood up and walked away to witness who he and Yami would be facing afterwards.

-…Youkai's Prison…-

"Okay, Shaun just got here," said Kirbin as he dragged the boy's form into a corner where the rest of the group was huddled, "better do it now, while we don't have to worry about anyone dropping in when we blow the place up."

"I've modified the shell as best I can," stated Yamato as he handed the explosive device to Giyan, "I can now remote detonate it, and the blast should be even more powerful than usual."

"Alright, then let's start," replied Giyan as he took the shell. Then a sphere of black energy surrounded the shell, and he placed it in the ground. As he had stated, the bubble pushed the flooring aside, until it was completely hidden under the layer of brick.

"Let's go!" shouted Lin as he and Term grabbed Giyan and dragged him into the corner, with Yamato soon behind. Giyan seemed so caught up in concentration that he wasn't quite thinking straight. However, as soon as they had all piled into one corner of the room, a great black barrier swept up around them. Giyan's forehead was now heavily beaded with sweat as he concentrated on keeping up the barrier around them.

Yamato glanced at everyone huddled under the shield Giyan had put up, double-checking that everyone was inside. As he did so, some of them prayed, others braced themselves, and some more covered their heads. Joy and Kirbin held each other close. Yamato finished his head count. He pressed the button.

-…End of Chapter 29…-

So Yami pulled off a huge-ass combo to beat Shaun, but let's get a few things straight before you tell me how screwed up it was. First of all, Necromancy has yet to be released in the card game, even in Japan. Secondly, and more importantly, Card of Safe Return only works if you summon a monster from your OWN graveyard. Thus, Yami would've actually drawn eight less cards than he did. So, even if Necromancy were in the actual card game and even if you were allowed to use Slifer the Sky Dragon, the combo would not have worked.

So, next chapter, Joey duels Nick to see who faces Yugi/Yami. Also, we get to see if our would-be escapees can finally get out of Youkai's seemingly impermeable prison and, if they do, just what awaits them.


	30. Struggle to the End

In a vast expanse of desert, G.O.T. Nick struggles to reach salvation…the computer. After crawling for five desperate minutes across scorching sands at a snail's pace due to his exhaustion, the valiant author finally is able to reach the keyboard. Then…disaster strikes.

"C'mon, Nick, you've got to practice driving!"

"No…so close…" and the author is pulled away to practice for two hours a day. But that is not the end of it. He is also forced to research…COLLEGE MAJORS!

Yep, that's pretty much it. I wrote this chapter over a period of three days, though I could've finished it on Wednesday if not for the interference of my parents. Sometimes I hate it when they make me do what's best for me... So, I issue a very sincere apology to those who I told this story would be up by yesterday, but sometimes such matters are out of my control. I wish to apologize more so to my fellow author Seeker of the Soul, whom I am issuing this story to as a late birthday present. Happy birthday, ya old coot! And now, without further ado, I present to you all…chapter thirty…

May the force be with you…always…

**Tokyo Tournament**

**Chapter Thirty-Struggle to the End**

**Also Entitled: Trial by Fire**

Tristan Taylor clenched his eyes shut for a long time after the explosion from the tactical nuclear shell had ceased rocking the room. He was crouched low to the ground against a wall, his arms crossed over his head. His mouth was set in a grimace in anticipation of the arrival of a short, intense amount of pain, followed by death. But after the violent tremors had ceased, his right eyelid slowly began to uncover his eye, he caught a glimpse of the others who were hunched about him in similar positions, and Tristan came to a conclusion that brought forth a sigh of relief _'I'm not dead…'_ That in mind, Tristan opened his eyes fully and came to his feet before calmly stating something that he was completely unashamed of after the previous incident, "I'd like to go home now."

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

Joey Wheeler was not completely aware of his friend's feelings at the moment, but was relatively certain that they were not of happiness. And right now, neither were Joey's feelings. He now stared down Nick, whose dueling strategy he had only received a brief glimpse of as he had dueled Lin. From that small amount he had seen, he could only assume his opponent used at least a good amount of Fire monsters. While the strategy had proved effective, Joey had also noticed it seemed to lack something to make it extremely powerful. Still, Nick had yet to reveal more than a handful of the cards in his deck, and, until then, Joey could not make assumptions.

Nick was also pondering his opponent, although in a slightly different sense. Joey's dueling strategy was well known by now to most of the dueling community, so Nick had no need to wonder about that. Instead, he tried to observe Joey's mood in a way that would allow him to predict how he would act throughout the duel. In his previous bout, Joey had been blinded by anger, and his actions had nearly cost him the duel. In the end, Joey had only claimed victory because he had been able to summon his Red Eyes Black Dragon. Currently, Joey still seemed enraged. However, he was also keeping that anger in check, meaning it would not be a negative factor in this duel.

The stare-down between the two blonde-haired duelists continued for several moments before Youkai interrupted it with and impatient comment, "Will you two pathetic mortals stop glaring at each other and GET ON WITH IT ALREADY?"

In response, Joey smirked and activated his Duel Disk, "With pleasure. I hope you're ready Nick, because I'm about ta beat your face in!"

Nick also smirked, happy to see that Joey was back to his old competitive self. This meant he would be in his dueling prime, which would be necessary. No matter the victor of this duel, Nick only wanted to ensure that the strongest of them faced Yugi. It was the best way to ensure the pharaoh would not lose the power of the Millennium Puzzle to Youkai. He wordlessly activated his own Duel Disk, and both drew their opening hands.

Nick: 4000 Joey: 4000

Joey drew a sixth card and examined his hand. After briefly looking over the cards, he grinned before selecting several and placing them in his Duel Disk. "I begin by setting one monster facedown on the field, along with two more cards facedown. That's all." The three mentioned cards appeared floating in front of him, and Joey crossed his arms across his chest, that cocky grin still on his lips.

Nick drew a card from his deck before glancing over his hand. He was glad the cloths around his face hid his facial expressions, because his frown would have given away his disappointment. Nothing in his hand would allow him to gain the upper hand, and it would be simple for Joey to counter any of his actions. His best chance was to hope he could destroy Joey's monster and put the pressure on him to counter the action.

"I summon Blazing Inpachi in attack mode (1850/0)," he stated as the monster appeared. It appeared to be some sort of large wooden machine, and upon its chest was the number eighteen in white digits. The one method by which it was assumed that the machine was made of wood was the fact that it was one fire. "Blazing Inpachi, attack his monster!" The large burning machine lurched forward, and brought its arm down upon the facedown monster.

"I'm not gonna let some tree-bot that a pyromaniac lit up do squat!" yelled Joey as one of his set cards flipped up, "I activate Fairy Box!" A large wack-a-mole game emerged around his facedown monster, and small, white, spherical heads began to rapidly emerge from and retract into the holes in its top. "This card's pretty simple," stated Joey as the Blazing Inpachi's club-like arm continued its descent, "there's a fifty-fifty chance that your Inpachi will get stuck in the Fairy Box, and its attack will be reduced to 0 for the duration of the turn. So let's see if your tree has any experience at arcade games." The Blazing Inpachi finished its attack, and its fist had been caught in one of the various holes in the Fairy Box, having missed the many heads. Joey smirked at the result as the burning wooden robot's power was nullified (0/0), "And now the battle continues." The front of the Fairy Box slid down, allowing the monster within to emerge.

"Baby Dragon (1200/800)?" questioned Nick with a quirked eyebrow. Sure enough, the small, orange dragon had appeared, and it immediately used one of its small fists to punch the Blazing Inpachi in the head, jarring its fist from the Fairy Box and rocking it backwards.

Nick: 3200 Joey: 4000

"Because Baby Dragon was in defense mode, your monster wasn't destroyed," stated Joey, "but I still managed to protect my dragon and deal you a good batch of damage."

"Indeed you did," agreed Nick, and he placed a card in his Duel Disk, "for now all I can do is set one card facedown." His frown deepened. Joey had easily managed to gain the advantage with a single card, but Nick couldn't help but wonder why Joey had gone to the effort of protecting Baby Dragon. Fairy Box was a permanent Trap, but slightly costly to maintain. More significantly, the Trap would have dealt Nick more damage had Joey used it when a stronger monster had been attacked. So why use it to protect a weak monster like Baby Dragon? Unless…

Joey drew, momentarily ignoring the card from the top of his deck. "Instead of paying 500 Life Points to maintain my Fairy Box, I'll just send it to the graveyard," he stated as the large box faded away. "Next I summon this monster: Time Wizard (500/400)!" The blue, clock-like spellcaster appeared in a puff of smoke, its red staff in hand.

"You're going to activate the Time Wizard's effect?" queried Nick, "It hardly seems worth the risk."

"It is a bit of a risk," acknowledged Joey, "but there's a good chance I can finish this duel here and now! Activate Time Roulette!" The arrow on the Time Wizard's staff began to spin as he spoke, and it whirled about rapidly. Nick had known the effect of Time Wizard for some time now, and it was a mystery to him as to why Joey would bother activating it at such an inopportune moment. The maximum amount of damage he could cause if he succeeded in destroying Nick's monsters was 1700, and choosing to deal that damage would leave two weak monsters vulnerable to attack.

As these thoughts drifted through Nick's mind, the arrow on the Time Wizard's staff had begun to slow. After a few more moments, it finally came to a stop, pointing towards one of the skull images on the roulette. "Your attempt failed," stated Nick, "and now Time Wizard will destroy your own monsters."

But Joey simply smirked and pointed to his remaining facedown card, which flipped up, "The effect of Time Wizard is actually determined by the flip of a coin, the graphics of the Duel Disk system simply portray a roulette. So my Trap card, Second Coin Toss, allows me to negate my Time Wizard's effect and re-activate it! Once more, go Time Roulette!"

"You're going through this much effort just to destroy my Blazing Inpachi?" asked Nick, "There are no doubt more reliable and conventional means of doing so."

Joey simply shrugged as the Time Wizard's roulette wheels began to slow again, "You gotta use what life gives ya." This time, the arrow on the Time Wizard's staff was pointing straight upward at the red symbol that somewhat resembled a building. As soon as this happened, the Time Wizard thrust out its staff and caused a vortex to appear on Nick's field. Time sped forward on Nick's field, a century transpiring each second, and as it did so the Blazing Inpachi was consumed in its own flame, leaving ashes that scattered themselves across the ground.

"Now that I've destroyed your monster," stated Joey, "I'll go on the assault. But first, I'm gonna bring out the big guns. To do so, I play Polymerizations!" A vortex materialized in front of him, sucking in the Baby Dragon and Time Wizard. "The rules of this tournament aren't the same as the ones in Pegasus's," he stated as a large shape began to emerge from the vortex, "so my Time Wizard's effect didn't age my Baby Dragon. However, by playing Polymerization, I can still summon Thousand Dragon (2400/2000)!" The dragon that appeared from the vortex looked very much like and aged form of the Baby Dragon, which it essentially was. It was much larger than its infant form, and its scales were a dim brown rather than orange. "Now, Thousand Dragon, attack! Noxious Nostril Blast!" At Joey's command, the aged wyrm released a blast of poisonous fumes from its snout, sending them hurtling towards Nick.

-…Youkai's prison…-

"So, who wants to go into the dark, creepy tunnel first?" WHAP! "Owww…"

"Stop quoting movies, Lin," said Term as he lowered his arm, "and thank you for volunteering."

"What? But I didn't-" WHAP! "Owww…okay…"

Rubbing his head, Lin lowered himself down into a sitting position so that his legs dangled over the edge of a hole that had been blown in the floor. Nothing was visible in the space below them, however. "Why do I have to go down?" complained Lin.

"Just shut up and go," Term told him as he finished tying Yamato's arm cable around Lin's waist, "We'll pull you up after a few minutes if you don't stop falling."

"But what if I fall onto something?" asked Lin, "There could be spikes or fire or acid or snakes or-AAAAHHHHHH!" Term had shoved Lin into the hole with his foot.

Kirbin rolled his eyes at watching the two. Why did this always happen…?

WHAM! "I'm…_O_kay…"

"How far's the drop?" called down Term.

"Judging by the pain in my face…about twenty feet…" murmured Lin.

"Ah, that's good," commented Term, "what do you see down there?"

"Stars…pretty butterflies…the Easter bunny…"

"FOCUS!"

"Um…darkness…"

"Well, get some light!"

"Okay, okay, I'll light a match…" the faint sounds of Lin clambering to his feet and digging around for said matches could be dimly heard.

"Yeah, that'll do, at least for-" Term stopped, "hey, since when do you carry matches everywhere?"

A pause, "Um…"

"Yes?"

"Uh…"

"LIN!"

"I CAN STOP WHENEVER I WANT!"

"Holy crap!" yelled Term, "Lin, are you on DRUGS?"

"What?" Lin sounded confused, "Drugs? No, I just like setting fireworks off a lot. What makes you think I'm on drugs?"

Term sighed and placed his head in one hand, "Never mind, Lin, just light a match." Then, under his breath, he added, "Typical Lin…"

There was a spark, and below them they saw a dim flame. Then Lin spoke up again with three simple words, "Oh…um…uh-oh…"

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

"You have committed a very foolish mistake in thinking me defenseless, Joey," Nick declared as he depressed a button on his Duel Disk, "I activate Sakuretsu Armor, which instantly destroys one attacking monster!" Immediately he became enveloped in a strange suit of blue, bladed armor. As the fumes from the Thousand Dragon's attack came close to him, the armor surged with power, thrusting the gas away from his body. Then the air about him was pushed away from his body, sending a wave of energy directly towards the Thousand Dragon, which began to roar in pain.

Joey grimaced at seeing his attempts foiled, but did not fail to take action. He took one of the two remaining cards in his hand and placed it into his Duel Disk, and immediately the Thousand Dragon split into the Time Wizard and Baby Dragon. "I activated De-Fusion from my hand, splitting Thousand Dragon into its original Fusion components. I had been hoping to use it after Thousand Dragon had attacked you in order to have my monsters attack you directly and finish the duel. However for now I'll just keep them in defense mode, since they're both weak in terms of attack strength." He then took a moment to finally look at the remaining card in his hand, the one he had drawn that turn. Seeing it was currently useless, he simply lowered it and nodded to Nick.

In response to this motion, Nick drew. Still nothing groundbreaking…but this next move would still put Joey on the defensive. "I play the Field card Molten Destruction, which will raise the attack of all Fire monsters by 500 points at a cost of 400 defense points. Next I Normal summon Great Angus (1800/600), and remove my Blazing Inpachi from play to Special summon the Spirit of Flames (1700/1000)." One by one, the three cards emerged on the field. The first was Molten Destruction, which caused several small volcanoes to sprout from the ground about them, lava dripping from their maws. Next was a large, muscular, red-skinned beast. It lifted its fists high and roared into the air in inexplicable rage. Finally, fire erupted from the graveyard slot of Nick's Duel Disk, and manifested in the form of a demonic, orange-skinned humanoid. Because both the Angus and Flame Spirit were Fire monsters, their stats changed accordingly due to Molten Destruction (Great Angus: 2300/200, Spirit of Flames: 2200/600).

"Now my monsters shall clear the field," stated Nick, "Spirit of Flames, Great Angus, attack!" At his command, the Spirit of Flames launched a stream of fire from its arms at the Baby Dragon, while the immense Angus rumbled towards the Time Wizards and slammed one meaty fist into the clock mage's face, crushing its fragile plating and spilling multiple gears onto the ground. With Joey's monsters dealt with, Nick ended his turn.

Joey drew his card and frowned slightly. While he should easily be able to keep himself safe in the next turn, he would need a way to shift the tide of the duel. Luckily, he had one such method already in his hand. "I set one monster in defense mode," he announced, "along with another card facedown on the field." The two cards shimmered into view in front of him, his plan in place.

Nick drew a card to begin his turn. Once again, nothing substantial, but if things didn't work out this turn he'd have something to fall back on, "I set one card facedown," he stated as he placed the card in his Duel Disk. Then he paused to look at the remainder of his hand, one card in particular. He contemplated playing it…but now was not the time. He would use it later, when its power could be used to the fullest. For now… "Spirit of Flames gains 300 attack power during my Battle phase, meaning there are only a few possible monsters that you could have set that would be able to withstand my monster's attack (2500/600). So now Spirit of Flames will clear away your defenses! Attack!" The burning spirit thrust out its large arms, and flames once again shot forth to consume Joey's monster.

But the result was slightly different this time, as Joey said with a cocky grin, "Now who's the one committin' foolish mistakes? I activate my Trap card, Magic Arm Shield!" The strange mechanism materialized on his arm, and mechanical prongs shot out of it, gripping the Great Angus. "Now I can redirect your attack to your own monster! Not only that, but you'll take damage from them battling and you'll have no monsters left to attack my facedown monster." With that said, he grunted and twisted his arm around the front of his body, thrusting the Great Angus in the approaching blast of flames. With a final roar of fury, the Angus was burned alive, and the Magic Arm Shield faded.

Nick: 3000 Joey: 4000

With no options left, Nick was forced to simply end his turn. With an enthusiastic grin on his face despite their predicament, Joey drew a card. Finding it to be of no use, Joey was left with one final option. "Because my monster wasn't involved in battle, it was never flipped on your turn," stated Joey as he placed his hand on the card, "now, because I get to flip it and activate its effect on my own turn, I'm going to get a pretty big advantage in this duel. So, without further ado, I flip up my Fiber Jar (500/500)!" The monster that emerged from Joey's card was rather simplistic-looking. It was a yellow urn, and growing from it was a miniature tree. From the tree came a brilliant burst of light, and when the light faded, the field was completely clear, bare even of the volcanoes spawned by the Molten Destruction Field card. "When Fiber Jar is flipped, the duel is basically reset," explained Joey as he shuffled his cards together, "all cards on our fields and in our hands and graveyards are immediately shuffled into our decks, and we then draw five cards.

Seeing the implications of such an effect, Nick quickly pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "Before your monster's effect can sweep away my field, I activate Waboku, which will protect me from Battle damage this turn." After stating this, he too proceeded to shuffle his cards together.

Joey cursed under his breath. With Waboku in effect, he would be unable to take advantage of Nick's clear field by attacking him directly with a low-level monster. While the move would most likely not have won the duel, it would certainly have set him on that path. For now he'd just have to do what he could with the hand his Fiber Jar's effect gave him. Both he and Nick slammed their decks into their Duel Disks and drew five-card hands. After looking his hand over, Joey selected one card and played it, "Pot of Greed lets me draw two cards." He snapped the said cards off his deck and looked them over, giving him a six-card hand. It was as if he and Nick were just starting a new duel, although he already had a 1000 Life Point lead.

"Now I summon my Alligator Sword (1500/1200)," Joey declared as the ever-familiar humanoid lizard stepped onto the field, its shield and scimitar held ready. "I follow that up with two cards facedown, and that's all."

Nick drew and examined his new hand. Better than the previous one…but he would have to bide his time and hope his next action brought him the cards he needed. "I set a monster in defense mode," he announced, "and a single card facedown as well."

Joey drew in response, and grinned slightly, "Alright, let's see if I can end it here and now… I play Black Dragon Ritual!" Two tall torches appeared in front of him, glowing with purple flame. Between them was a larger flame, this one black. "This card requires me to sacrifice monsters totaling level 4 or greater from my hand and field. So I sacrifice the Little Winguard from my hand." As he spoke, he slid the said monster from his hand into his graveyard. Then he selected one of the two cards remaining in his hand and placed it next to the Alligator Sword already in place. "Now I can summon my Knight of Black Dragon (1900/1200)!" The monster that appeared Joey's field was a man who wore blue and black armor. In his right hand he bore a black-bladed sword. "My Knight has the ability to destroy any facedown defense monster without going to the Damage step. That means I'm about to destroy your monster no matter what it is! Knight of Black Dragon, attack!" The armored warrior leapt forth, and brought it sword down on Nick's monster in a mighty strike.

Or, rather, it almost did. At the last instant, the card simply moved away from the Knight's strike, and the warrior's sword clanged against the ground. "I activated my Trap card, A Feint Plan," explained Nick, "this card prevents any facedown monsters from being attacked this turn."

Joey nodded and let out a small growl of frustration. "I sacrifice my Knight to activate its special ability," he stated as the Knight erupted into black flame. "Now I can immediately Special Summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon (2400/2000) from my deck!" The black flame grew rapidly in size, then solidified into the mighty black-scaled dragon. The Red Eyes let out a roar of challenge to Nick, even though it was forbidden from attacking for this turn. "Even though it won't finish you off," said Joey as he placed the final card in his hand into his Duel Disk, "I play Dark Flare Burst, which will deal you 2400 damage."

As the card took effect, the large black dragon opened its maw and released a ball of red flame straight at Nick. Having witnessed Mike being scorched from simply a glancing blow by the card's effect, Nick knew he had to take immediate evasive action. He took several quick steps to his right…and then suddenly stopped, unable to lift his legs from the ground. Looking down in confusion, he saw his feet were being held to the ground by black tendrils.

From where he stood, Youkai let out a laugh, "That's enough of your pathetic attempts to flee from damage. You're going to bear the full brunt of this assault!"

With no other option, Nick could only cross his arms over his head, and hope the impending ball of fire did not immediately consume him in its blaze. And then…something unexpected occurred. In a flash of light, a white humanoid form emerged from his deck, taking the blow from the Dark Flare Burst and shielding him from harm.

Nick: 600 Joey: 4000

"What in the nine burning circles of Hell?" yelled an outraged Youkai.

With no moves left for Joey to make, Nick drew the top card of his deck, and realized what had happened. _'Well, that was lucky. It seems you may have just saved my life, my friend. And it seems you are ready to do battle. Very well, I shall grant your request…'_ "I begin my turn by flipping my Cyber Jar (900/900), triggering its effect!" The horizontal card in front of him revealed itself as the infamous ball of wires an instant before exploding in a blast that consumed Joey's Alligator Sword and Red Eyes Black Dragon. Then both Joey and Nick snapped five cards off their respective decks. Joey then summoned Panther Warrior (2000/1500), followed by Gearfried the Iron Knight, while Nick set a monster in defense mode.

"Now I shall reveal a monster that will determine the outcome of this entire duel," stated Nick as he held up one of the nine cards in his hand. "This is both my favorite monster, as well as my most powerful. And now you shall face its full power." His monster shimmered out of view, and Nick slammed the card onto his Duel Disk, "I sacrifice my facedown monster to summon the Magical Marionette (2000/1000)!" The monster that appeared was shrouded almost completely in a red cloak, leaving only a purple mask visible beneath its hood. The mask was simple in design, being circular with a circular opening for the left eye and two slits over the right. "While my monster has a low attack strength, its effect will allow me to destroy each of your monsters. To begin this process, I play Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three cards before discarding two." He quickly snapped three cards off the top of his deck and added each of them to his hand, then selected two other cards to discard.

"And now the end has come," Nick stated, "I have all the cards I need to win this duel in my hand. But first, allow me to reveal my Marionette's effect. For every Spell card that is played, my monster will gain a Spell counter. For every counter on my monster it gains 200 attack points (Magical Marionette: 2200/1000), but that's not all. I can also remove two of these counters from my monster to destroy one of your monsters. And I have quite a few Spells in my hand."

"Oh crud…" Joey murmured as he listened to Nick's explanation. But as he looked over his hand, he relaxed. Nick only had eight cards left in his hand, meaning at maximum his Marionette could reach 3000 attack points after destroying both of Joey's monsters. Even if it came to that, Joey's facedown cards would protect him. Joey even had a method in his hand of defeating the Magical Marionette in the next turn.

"You probably think I'm incapable of defeating you right now," Nick correctly inferred, "but that will shortly change right now. I play Double Spell, allowing me to discard one other Spell card from my hand to activate one Spell card in your graveyard. So I'll play your Pot of Greed." He drew two cards from the card's effect, while he still continued to speak, "What's more important about my action is that both Double Spell and the card it activates are considered Spell activations, so my Magical Marionette gains two Spell counters (Magical Marionette: 2600/1000). Now I'll play one of the cards I just drew: Monster Reborn, which will revive your own Red Eyes Black Dragon." The immense black dragon appeared once more over the field, this time on Nick's side of the field. Meanwhile, the Marionette had gained another Spell counter (2800/1000).

"And now, this duel ends," Nick declared, "I remove all four of Magical Marionette's counters to trigger its effect! Magical Marionette, Mystic Puppet Slayer!" The Magical Marionette's arms burst from beneath its cloak, revealing purple-gauntleted claws. On the elbows of these gauntlets were gems of a deeper purple, and upon them were strange triangular symbols. From each claw sprouted two sets of yellow strings of energy, each traveling in sync with a set from the other hand. Where the sets met, a white marionette bearing a knife in each hand appeared. The white puppets were much like the white figure that had defended Nick earlier, and each had a purple jewel, identical to those on their controller's elbow, set in their torsos. The two puppets immediately flew towards Joey's monsters with a flick of the magic puppeteer's hands, and their blades easily slew the warriors.

"Finally, to assure that nothing will impede my attack," said Nick as he placed a card on his Duel Disk, "I play Giant Trunade."

"Oh, crap," Joey murmured as a gust of wind began to blow his two set cards back into his hand. However, he was able to activate one, "I activate Scapegoat, which will summon four Scapegoats to block your attacks!" The four circular goats immediately appeared in front of him, seeming calm and at peace amidst the struggle between the two duelists about them.

"I thought you might have that ready," said Nick, "but note that now my Magical Marionette has two counters once again (2400/1000), one from my Giant Trunade, the other from your activating Scapegoat. So I'll remove two of those counters to destroy one Scapegoat. Mystic Puppet Slayer!" Once again, the Magical Marionette conjured up a blade-wielding puppet, and this one almost casually cut through one of the goats.

"I still have three goats left," remarked Joey with a slight smirk, "and you have only two monsters to attack."

"Don't act so confident," Nick replied, "I'll now remove the two Fire monsters I discarded for Graceful Charity's effect." Fire erupted from his graveyard again, this time into two forms instead of one. "I summon both Infernos (1100/1900 x2) in my hand!" The flames that came from his graveyard did little to manifest this time, merely maintaining their flame forms and developing bright blue eyes.

Seeing the appearance of the two monsters, Joey fell to his knees, knowing what was to come. The two beings of flame would destroy two of his remaining Scapegoats, and their effects would deal him 1500 points of damage each. Then the Magical Marionette and his own Red Eyes Black Dragon would destroy his remaining Scapegoat and finish him off. He had failed his sister…he would be unable to duel Youkai…

"Joey," said Nick softly, "something tells me you would be better fitted in combating the pharaoh. If not for a few cards at key moments and the power of my Marionette, I would have lost this duel three times already. But now, I must end this duel. Even as I speak, I believe those whose souls have been claimed by Youkai are attempting to escape his grasp. Know that even though you will not be able to combat Youkai directly, you may play a pivotal role against him. So when I finish this duel, do all that you can. Help your sister."

Joey nodded. While he didn't know Nick, and certainly didn't trust him, he knew the two were on the same side, at least for now. "You don't need to tell me that, Nick. Now quit delayin' and bein' a wuss." He stood up, and motioned Nick, "Bring on your monsters. Unless you're too chicken."

Under his face-garb, Nick grinned. He nodded, and then motioned his monsters forward, "Infernos, Red Eyes Black Dragon, destroy his remaining Scapegoats!" The dragon released a stream of fire, and the Infernos surged forth. The three goats were consumed in a torrent of flame almost immediately, and Joey was dealt damage from the effects of the Infernos.

Nick: 600 Joey: 1000

"Magical Marionette," Nick continued, "end it." The puppeteer released its strings of energy from its hands, gripping Joey in their grip. Then a small, brief surge of energy flowed through the strings, delivering a small electric shock to Joey, who was knocked unconscious.

Nick: 600 Joey: 0

With the duel's end, Nick's monsters faded away. Without the support of the Marionette's strings, Joey collapsed to the floor. Yami and Nick approached his prone form, and picked him up by his arms and legs to remove him from the dueling arena. As they did so, Youkai stood by impatiently, eager for them to compete. He hoped that their duel brought more bloodshed than the previous few. More than that, he hoped it would be a short duel, so that he would be able to shed blood himself…

-…Youkai's prison…-

"AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!" Lin's yell could be heard loud and clear as he ran about below them. However, the cause of his despair was unknown, as he did not pause to inform them of it, and the match he had lit had been dropped as he ran about below them.

"Shouldn't we help him?" asked Tea, as nobody had taken any actions to jump through the hole.

"Nah," answered Kirbin, his head resting on his hand, "Lin can run for HOURS when he's screaming. He's kind of weird that way. I mean, you'd think with less oxygen-"

"Lin's weird in a LOT of ways," Term interrupted, "right, Giyan?"

"Ungh…?" Giyan was currently still recovering from his efforts several minutes ago.

"See?"

Kirbin glared at Term for a moment, and was about to say something when a body fell from above, straight through the hole in the floor. "Joey?" asked Serenity in surprise.

Lin continued screaming and running below them, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA-" WHAM, "…AAAAAAA-huh?" The sounds of running stopped soon after he ceased yelling. "Oh, that goodness," Lin said, without the slightest hint of stressed breathing.

"What just happened, you idiot?" yelled Kaiba.

"Well, that was close, it nearly got me, but luckily Joey crushed it. Jeez, I hate those things…"

"LIN!" this time, everyone said it.

"What?" came Lin's voice, "Oh, well, this thing was chasing me all over the place. Apparently it was standing guard. So after it chased me around for a while (without anyone HELPING me, I might add) Joey fell on it and killed it. Hey! I think I found a light-switch…"

At his last words, torches around the room below them suddenly were lit ablaze, allowing the group to see the room below. Lin had just pulled a lever, which had triggered the lighting. Joey was lying crumpled on top of something, which appeared to be-.

Further observations were stopped as Lin suddenly ran fifty feet and leapt straight up into their midst, yelling the whole way, in 0.2 seconds flat.

"Lin?" asked Term in a deathly calm voice, "What are you doing wrapped around my head?"

"DON'T LET THEM GET ME!" was Lin's only response.

"What's his problem?" Mai asked the question nearly everyone present was pondering.

"Oh, I see it," said Kirbin as he peered down into the room below. The others leaned forward to see, and saw that the form Joey was lying on resembled a skeleton…with rotting skin covering its bones.

After the usual clichéd responses to seeing such a creature, Yamato spoke up, "Ah, yes, Lin is afraid of zombies…"

"I HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE, ALRIGHT?" Lin shouted.

"A bad experience with zombies?" murmured Tristan to himself.

"DON'T LET THEM WRAP AROUND MY FACE!"

"Hm…" said Kirbin, "well, I know why Lin freaked out the second time." Once more everyone crowded forward to peer into the room below. The room beneath them was almost empty except for the torches…and multiple sarcophagi. And every one of them was slowly opening…

So concludes the thirtieth chapter of Tokyo Tournament. In the next chapter, Yami takes on Nick for the right to face Youkai, while their friends and fellow duelists battle against an army of zombies to escape Youkai's prison. Who will triumph? Good or evil? TARZAN!

…Whoa…that was odd…random action figure commercials from my childhood are resurfacing…Anyways, expect a great burst of updates, as I am currently scrambling to finish this story before its two-year anniversary, which takes place next Saturday. Until next time, this is G.O.T. Nick, signing off.


	31. Champion

Before beginning this installment of Tokyo Tournament, I'd first like to say that the story is now complete. The final three chapters were posted in conjunction with this one, meaning Tokyo Tournament is now over.

I'd now like to respond to a few recent reviews, though I'm not sure if all the submitters have caught up with the rest of the story as of yet.

X Buster: First of all, regarding the term S.O.B.: this particular acronym is not copyrighted, so I don't give a damn if it's supposedly "your word". More importantly, I believe everyone should have the right to use the term when describing Bandit Keith. Next, Black Dragon Hatchling is the Japanese name of Red Eyes Black Chick and was the only name available when I wrote the chapter it appeared in. Besides, it sounds cooler.

Darkrose 17: A pentangle is a five-pointed star, though it is also called a pentagram. I decided to use the former word, since the word pentagram is easier to confuse with pentaGON than pentangle is.

Time Mage: The appearance of the mere concept of a soul deck will not emerge until the sequel. As for Lin's experience…ask Jacob; he gets it.

And now…the final Tokyo Tournament battle. The victor will be granted the right to face Youkai.

In the time where I was born lived a man who sailed to sea, and he told us of his life in the land of Duel monsters…

Tokyo Tournament 

**Chapter Thirty-One: Champion**

**Also Entitled: Final Attempt**

"A large mass of zombies, huh?" commented Term as he gazed down into the room below, "Sounds like fun; eh, Giyan?"

"Ungh?" Giyan muttered, still half-conscious.

"Okay, here's an idea," Kirbin spoke up, "we have to get past the zombies, but we don't want anyone to get their brains eaten of their flesh ripped off or…"

"THEIR FACES WRAPPED UP!"

"Shut up, Lin," Kirbin replied, "Anyways, Yamato, Term, Lin, and myself will go down and kill the zombies. Then we grab Joey and Giyan and get out of here."

"Very well," said Yamato. Then he stopped for a minute, in thought, before speaking again, "I should have told you this earlier, but…"

"Yamato…" Term said when the android did not speak for several moments, "please don't pause. When YOU pause, I get worried."

"Well," Yamato said, "my Redeemer shell succeeded in allowing us to create an exit from this prison. However, due to our standing about the perimeter of that exit, which could possibly be structurally unsound-" He didn't get a chance to finish, as the floor suddenly caved in under them, sending the almost twenty people present plummeting to the floor below…

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives three definitions for the noun "champion". One is a warrior or fighter. Another is a person that fights for the rights or honor of another. The last definition is the one that many associate most to the word, and that is the winner of a contest or tournament. It would not matter which definition was used when referring to the champion of the Tokyo Tournament, because all three would apply.

As the pharaoh Yami, his real name currently unknown to him, and Nick prepared to duel, both knew what they were battling for. They were dueling for the title of champion of the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament, as well as the tasks that came with that title. As champion, the winner would fight for the freedom of all those who had lost in the tournament, and potentially the safety of the world.

Nick: 4000 Yami: 4000

"I'll begin this duel," Yami stated after the two of them had drawn five cards. Nick nodded in response, and Yami drew a sixth card to start the match. The pharaoh was somewhat disappointed with his hand… "I begin by setting a monster facedown in defense mode, along with two other cards facedown." As he spoke, the three cards materialized before him. The move was rather basic, but he was unable to do much with the cards he had drawn.

Nick took Yami's lack of other actions as a sign to begin his own turn. He snapped a card off the top of his deck and glanced at his hand. Frowning in disgust, he quickly played the card he had drawn, "Card Destruction forces us to discard our hands and draw new ones of the same amount." He slid his five cards together and shoved them into his Duel Disk's graveyard slot before drawing five more cards, while Yami did the same with his three cards.

"Now I'll summon a pair of monsters you should be familiar with by now, pharaoh," stated Nick as he placed two cards on his Duel Disk, "first, Blazing Inpachi (1850/0). Then I remove a Fire monster from my graveyard to Special Summon Spirit of Flames (1700/1000)." Both monsters appeared quickly in succession. First was the burning wooden mecha Inpachi, which was followed by a burst of fire from Nick's graveyard that manifested in the form of the demonic Spirit of Flames. "My current plan is brutal and simple," stated Nick, "I'll just have my monsters attack. Spirit of Flames, destroy his defensive monster!" The orange beast raised its muscular arms and unleashed a burst of fire that scorched the air around it.

"I activate my facedown card," declared Yami calmly as one of his set cards flipped up. At seeing it, Nick silently cursed, "Mirror Force will now destroy both of your monsters!" Just before the Spirit of Flames' attack reached Yami's set monster, a convex mirror appeared before it, reflecting the flames back at their source as well as the Blazing Inpachi. Both were burned away almost immediately.

Nick placed two of the remaining three cards in his hand into his Duel Disk, and they appeared in front of him as Spell or Trap cards. Then Yami drew, "I play Pot of Greed," without feeling the need to explain, Yami drew twice more by his card's effect, giving him five total cards in his hand. When he saw the two new cards he had drawn, a slow smirk formed on his face. "Now I'll discard the three Magnet Warriors from my hand! Alpha, Beta, and Gamma will now combine themselves into one of my mightiest creatures! Come forth, Valkyrion the Magna Warrior (3500/3850)!"

Nick winced slightly as the three magnetic humanoids appeared, sword, fists, and magnet claws held ready. Then all three split apart into various body parts, before the parts swirled together and began connecting into a gangly, winged, metallic being that held Alpha's sword lightly in its long arm. "At this moment Valkyrion and my monster would be enough to finish you," stated Yami as he held is Duel Disk a bit higher in preparation of his next action, "but in order to better assure I defeat you here and now I shall summon two more monsters. First I flip up Queen's Knight (1500/1600)!" The blonde, red-armored female knight appeared, sword and shield held ready. "Next," continued Yami as he placed another card onto his Duel Disk, "I summon King's Knight (1600/1400), whose effect immediately summons Jack's Knight (1900/1000) to the field!" The golden-armored knight appeared next to Queen's Knight, immediately followed by the younger, blue-armored knight between the two of them.

"Now that all three Tri-knights are on my field," said Yami, "your cards will have to not only block Valkyrion in order for you to survive, but Jack's Knight as well. So now, Valkyrion, start things off by attacking him directly!" The immense metallic warrior leapt into the air, sword raised to deal a devastating blow to Nick.

"I activate Ordeal of a Traveler!" Nick declared as his left facedown card flipped up, revealing a structure that greatly resembled the Great Sphinx. "Now you'll have to guess whether the one card in my hand is a Monster, Spell, or Trap card. If you guess correctly, then your attack will go through. However, if you guess wrong, Valkyrion will be sent back to your hand."

Yami thought for all of three seconds before deciding, "I believe you hold a Spell card."

Nick flipped the one card in his hand over, revealing it to be his Magical Marionette. "You chose wrong, so now Valkyrion will be sent back to your hand!" The eyes of the sphinx glowed red and sent out a bolt of energy that struck Valkyrion, who flew backwards from the impact into Yami's hand.

Yami frowned as he picked up the powerful monster, but was undaunted. "Because your Trap revealed the one card in your hand, I now know what type of card it is," he stated, "Therefore, your Trap is useless, and I still have enough monsters to finish you off! All three of my knights will attack you directly!" The three sword-wielding knights charged forward in a wedge formation with their swords held forward, intent on cutting Nick down and ending the duel. But before they could reach the opposing duelist, a trio of blue-robed priestesses appeared in their path. The knights immediately halted their assault, then turned and walked back to Yami's field.

"Waboku," was Nick's simple explanation. Yami grimaced and nodded. Now he saw that Nick had not been relying on Ordeal of a Traveler to defend him, but rather to lower Yami's advantage over the field. While the former pharaoh still controlled three monsters and one set Spell or Trap, Nick was much better off without Valkyrion on the field. And now the blonde duelist began his turn by drawing. "I'll simply set one monster in defense mode," he stated as the horizontal card appeared in front of the sphinx.

Yami briefly pondered Nick's move as he drew, _'I can't win the duel in this turn, but if Jack's Knight can destroy his monster I can still deal a significant amount of damage. In all likelihood he's set a monster with a powerful Flip effect, but if that's the case then he can simply activate it on his next turn. It's best if I simply force it to activate now so I'll be able to recover.'_ "Jack's Knight, attack his set monster!" The young, blue-armored knight nodded and charged over to the defending monster before easily slicing through it with his sword. However, as the card vanished, it was replaced by a sphere of metal tubes with a blue face, which instantly exploded, taking all three of Yami's knights with it.

"You should know the effect of Cyber Jar (900/900) by now," Nick stated as he flipped five cards off the top of his deck. Yami nodded and did the same.

"I summon Skilled Dark Magician (1900/1700) and Obnoxious Celtic Guardian (1400/1200)!" declared Yami as the two monsters appeared.

"And I'll summon two monsters in defense mode," Nick stated two more horizontal cards appeared in front of him.

Yami selected one of the six remaining cards in his hand and placed it on his Duel Disk, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon, to destroy Ordeal of a Traveler." A black twister descended upon the sphinx, tearing out chunks of stone before eventually the whole structure collapsed. "Now I won't have to worry about you blocking my attacks," Yami stated, gesturing towards Nick's hand, which now contained four cards instead of just the one he had held at the beginning of the turn, "And now my Skilled Dark Magician gains a counter because a Spell was played. Also, because Mystical Space Typhoon is a Quick-Play Spell card, I can now continue my Battle Phase! Now my monsters shall attack each of yours!" Skilled Dark Magician, now with one of the two orbs on its shoulders glowing, released a burst of black energy at Nick's left monster, revealing it to be a large red beast that was destroyed immediately. Then the Obnoxious Celtic Guardian sliced its sword through the remaining monster, revealing it to be a large tomato with eyes and a mouth filled with razor-sharp teeth.

"The two monsters you attacked were Great Angus (1800/600) and Mystic Tomato (1400/1100)," stated Nick, now with a bare field. However, as he spoke he removed his deck from its slot in his Duel Disk and began to sift through it before he came across a card. "Mystic Tomato allows me to Special Summon a weak Dark monster from my deck when it is destroyed in battle, so I summon Swarm of Locusts (1000/500)." As he placed the card on the field, a vast swarm of grasshopper-like insects appeared before him, circling about in search of food.

"Very well," responded Yami at seeing his efforts to clear Nick's field of monsters foiled, "I'll set two Spell or Trap cards facedown on my field, and then end my turn." The two cards appeared next to his first one, leaving him with three facedown cards and two monsters.

Nick quickly shuffled his deck before returning it to his Duel Disk and drawing a card. Then he picked the Swarm of Locusts off his Duel Disk and placed it in his graveyard slot. Yami was not surprised to see this. He had expected the action to come since last turn, when he had failed to remove all of Nick's monsters from the field. "I sacrifice Swarm of Locusts," stated Nick, "in order to summon my Magical Marionette (2000/1000)!" In a flash of dark energy, the red-cloaked mage appeared, its eyes glowing through the small slots in its mask. Alone it was not exceptionally powerful…but Yami had seen its strength against Joey. "Now I shall play Heavy Storm, destroying all of your facedown cards!"

Yami instantly sprang into action as the vast tornado appeared in the center of the field, and one of his cards flipped up, causing a magical seal to appear beneath the tornado before it simply vanished. "My Magic Jammer negates your Heavy Storm," stated Yami as he discarded Valkyrion from his hand to pay for his Trap's cost.

Nick's one visible eye narrowed at this counter by the former pharaoh. He only had three cards remaining in his hand, and his Marionette required two Spells to be played in order to use its effect. Because Yami had negated Heavy Storm, no counters had been gained. But a second look at the cards in his hand gave Nick an idea… _'I just have to hope either this goes through or Magical Marionette isn't destroyed. Otherwise, this is over…'_ "Magical Marionette, attack Skilled Dark Magician!" The masked sorcerer cast its gloved hands out and launched strings of energy at the other mage, but as the strings neared their target, a large cylinder appeared in their path. The cylinder sucked in the energy, and then the strings were released from a second one immediately next to it. The strings wrapped around Nick's limbs and delivered a shock of energy, causing him to momentarily cry out in pain.

Nick: 2000 Yami: 4000

"My Magic Cylinder easily reflected your attack right at your own Life Points," Yami explained as the cylinders faded from view.

Nick nodded as he was released, knowing he had chosen correctly in waiting before playing his next card, "I play Fissure, destroying Obnoxious Celtic Guardian." The ground under the elven swordsman immediately caved in, causing the guardian to fall into the earth with a cry of terror. Both the Skilled Dark Magician and the Magical Marionette (2200/1000) gained a counter from the card. "Now I'll finish my turn by setting the rest of my hand on the field," Nick concluded as the two cards in his hand appeared behind the Marionette.

Yami drew and grinned at his new card, instantly choosing to play it, "I play Emblem of Dragon Destroyer, which will add the Buster Blader to my hand!" He quickly shuffled through his deck before finding the named warrior, and didn't bother to shuffle his deck as he then announced, "I then sacrifice Skill Dark Magician and its three counters to summon my Dark Magician (2500/2100)!" The mage became surrounded in a black aura that soon hid him from view. Then from the black swarm of energy emerged Yami's favorite monster, who twirled his emerald staff and pointed it at Nick. "That's not all, however," stated Yami as he placed another card in his Duel Disk, "for I also activate Polymerization, fusing my Dark Magician with Buster Blader to form the mighty Dark Paladin (2900/2400)!" The purple-armored Buster Blader momentarily appeared beside the Dark Magician, and then both were sucked into a vortex that caused them to merge together. What emerged from the vortex after several moments was a being that greatly resembled the Dark Magician, however his skin was bluish green and his hair a light purple. He wore black armor lined with orange, and in the place of the Dark Magician's staff it bore a glaive that seemed cut from the same mold as the armor.

"Dark Paladin gains 500 Attack Points for every Dragon in both graveyards and on the field," Yami stated as the mage-warrior appeared, "however since no Dragons have been played, his power remains unchanged. His other effect is a permanent Magic Jammer, meaning I can simply discard cards to negate Spells. But enough introductions. I've seen most of your effective Traps, so I'm not concerned by your two facedown cards. Dark Paladin, attack Magical Marionette!" The glaive-wielding Spellcaster released a wave of dark energy at the puppeteer, but immediately one of Nick's facedown cards flipped up, revealing a charging boar on its image.

"My Rush Recklessly will grant my Magical Marionette 700 more Attack Points for this turn," Nick stated. But he was not surprised as the Dark Paladin quickly released a second burst of energy, which destroyed his Spell card.

"I discard the one card in my hand to negate your Spell," Yami stated as he emptied his hand, "so your effort failed."

Nick smirked beneath his facecloth and motioned to his other facedown card, which flipped up, "Yes," he agreed, "but this one won't! I activate the Quick-Play Spell version of Negate Attack, known as Weakening of Attack!" A pink barrier immediately swept around Nick's Magical Marionette, deflecting the Dark Paladin's attack. "And now I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that your two Spells plus my one have granted Magical Marionette a total of three more counters, enough to destroy two monsters Magical Marionette: 2800/1000)!"

Yami frowned at this turn of events. While he held the advantage in Life Points, Nick held the field advantage now. Even with the Dark Paladin's superior attack points, Nick would still be able to attack directly in the next turn. His facedown card was a bluff, at least for the moment. If he used it now, it would help the Marionette more than it would help Yami, just as had been the case last turn. "End turn."

Nick placed his hand on the top card of his deck and stated, "If this card is a monster, then I've almost assuredly won. So now, to protect you and the world, Pharaoh, I will defeat you! I draw!"

-…The Shadow Realm…-

"New strategy!" declared Term as he heaved rubble off of himself and anyone nearby, "Yamato, grab Joey and Giyan and get them into a corner! Lin, Kirbin, you and I will battle the zombies! Everyone else, follow Yamato." When he had finished speaking, the black-haired teen closed his eyes and stretched his arms out, causing blades to sprout from his elbows, wrists, shoulders, and hands. Then he assumed a fighting stance, and more blades emerged from his knees, thighs, and feet.

Lin drew his sword and held it outwards with his left hand, prepared to join his friend in battle. However, he was also quietly murmuring to himself, "Why did it have to be zombies…? Wish I had my songbook with me… Why do I always forget that one?"

Kirbin smiled at Lin's antics, then turned to look at Joy, who had joined the rest of their group in backing into a corner. He smiled assuredly at her, and she nodded at him in response. The Kirbin turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

"I love this part of my job," said Term in anticipation. Then he sighed, and blades sprang up about his torso and head, then curved to cover the exposed parts of his body, acting as armor.

The zombies that faced them were not the kind that you see in movies. They did not lumber about with their arms held forward with slacked jaws while moaning "Annnnnngh…" Instead, they walked normally with their arms held ready to strike…while their mouths slacked open and they moaned, "Annnnnngh…" Okay, so they were kind of like the zombies you see in movies, but-

"ATTACK!" the writer was spared further embarrassment as the three charged forward and attacked the army of corpses.

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

Nick snapped the card off his deck and frowned at the sight of it, "Fortunately for you, I have not drawn a monster. However, this card will assist me now and in the turns to come by granting my Marionette counters. I play Gather Your Mind, a card that prevents me from playing more than one copy of each turn. Its other effect allows me to place another Gather Your Mind into my hand. And because a Spell was played, my Marionette gains a counter (3000/1000). And now I'll remove two of those counters to activate my Marionette's effect! Mystic Puppet Slayer!" The red-cloaked puppeteer cast forth its arms, summoning forth a white puppet carrying twin daggers. Then it commanded the marionette forth, and the puppet stabbed through the Dark Paladin's armor. "Now, attack directly, Magical Marionette (2600/1000)!" The mage cast out another set of strings, this one wrapping about Yami and delivering a shock of energy to his body. The brief assault quickly ended, however, and Yami was dropped to the ground.

Nick: 2000 Yami: 1400

Yami stumbled to his feet and immediately drew a card, knowing Nick could take no further actions this turn. And as he saw the card, he knew the duel was over. "This is it, Nick," he stated as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk and his facedown card flipped up, revealing Silent Doom, "I activate my Silent Doom, reviving Gamma the Magnet Warrior in defense mode!" The pink magnetic being appeared in front of him, crouching in a defensive position.

Nick quirked an eyebrow at that. What was the point of summoning a monster at all? And even if Yami planned to tribute the monster, there was no way a one-sacrifice monster could achieve the current power of his Marionette.

"You may be wondering why I chose to revive Gamma," Yami stated, "Well, it's because the monster I summoned didn't really matter. I just needed any monster to activate the card I've just drawn, Creature Swap!" Nick gasped as his favorite monster floated over to Yami's field, and Gamma slid over to replace it. "By switching control of our monsters, I have just guaranteed myself victory," Yami stated, "While it pains me, I must now finish the duel by attacking you with your own favorite monster. Magical Marionette, activate Mystic Puppet Slayer!" The cloaked mage cast its hands forth, summoning another puppet that immediately slashed at Gamma and destroyed the being.

Nick's head drop, and he knew his endeavor had failed. The pharaoh would go on to face Youkai, and if he lost all would die. But the pharaoh had refused to submit to his opponents, feeling that he held a responsibility to his friends. But now was not the time to despair. "You have won, Pharaoh," Nick stated, "so I will say farewell for now, and good luck."

Yami smiled, "Thank you, Nick. Now, Magical Marionette, end the duel by attacking directly!" The cloaked mage cast out its strings one last time, and this time it was Nick who received the attack they dealt. In a few brief moments, the duel was ended, and Nick collapsed to the ground.

Nick: 0 Yami: 1600

Yami took a deep breath, and looked towards Youkai. The being of darkness had watched the duel in silence, and now he grinned. He was obviously pleased with the result of the tournament. He stood from where he had been sitting, cross-legged, and began to approach the arena…

-…The Shadow Realm…-

Term swung his blades all about him, ripping apart decayed flesh with ease. Lin's sword was swung with less aggression and more practice, and bodies were severed under his blade. Kirbin used the powers of his essences in brief bursts, releasing flame, frost, explosions, and electricity at any that came near him. The three were indeed putting on a spectacular display in holding off the army of zombies. But it was not enough. With every corpse that fell to a swinging blade, another took its place. With every body that burned to ashes, another came forth. "Damn it all!" Term exclaimed as he impaled another rotted body on his shoulder blades (get it? It's a pun…).

"Fall back," suggested Kirbin, "we'll be better off not being surrounded."

"Good idea," agreed Lin, as he began working his way back to the group…just as Nick fell on top of him.

"Oh, thanks Lin," said Nick, dusting himself off.

"Nah a prahleh…heeheehee…butterflies…"

"Oh, what's all this?" asked Nick with a somewhat exasperated sigh.

"What do you mean 'What's all this?'" said Term with a growl. "It's a frickin' army of zombies!"

"Well, I expected you guys to have gotten much further along than this by now," said Nick with a look of disappointment.

"How do you figure that?" Kirbin asked as he froze a dozen zombies in front of him.

"Well, you could've done this," Nick replied, and then grabbed a card out of his deck and holding it out, "I summon you, Magical Marionette!" The puppeteer appeared with a flash in front of him, causing the zombies to momentarily halt their assault.

"Oh," muttered Lin as he got to his feet, "I didn't know you could do that…"

* * *

So ends the actual Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament. But now, to save his friends and protect the world, Yami must face off against Youkai. See the conclusion of the tournament in the next chapter. Well? What are you waiting for? Go read it! It's already posted! 


	32. End Game

Now for Yami vs. Youkai. Enjoy.

Douglas Adams was right. Dolphins ARE smarter.

**Tokyo Tournament  
****Chapter Thirty-Two: End Game  
****Also Entitled: Revolution**

"Oh, this is convenient," said Term as he began sifting through his deck, "of COURSE we can summon monsters in the Shadow Realm. It's PLAINLY obvious that we could've used them to break out of that stupid cell…"

"Oh, shut up," shot Kirbin, "at least we know now." He held up a card and concentrated on it, willing it to change into one of his essence's cards, and it became surrounded by a black aura. Then he cast it out, "I summon you, Barrel Dragon!"

"Is that the best you can do?" challenged Term as he held out his own card, "I summon Mystical Knight of Jackal!"

One by one, each duelist held out their monster of choice until the large room was filled with dragons, warriors, machines, and winged creatures. Joining Nick's Magical Marionette, Kirbin's Barrel Dragon, and Term's Knight of Jackal came a monster from every duelist present save Giyan. Lin's Hayabusa Knight, Yamato's Cyber-Tech Alligator, Joy's Wingweaver, Shaun's Catapult Turtle, Joey's Red Eyes Black Dragon, Kaiba's Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Mai's Harpie Ladies, Kai's XYZ Dragon Cannon, Kevin's Buster Blader, Mike's Sword Hunter, and finally Zachary's Last Warrior From Another Planet all burst forth in flashes of light and loomed over the skeletal army.

The group of duelists cried as one, "ATTACK!" and their monsters obeyed, sweeping blades, breathing flame, blasting energy, and slashing claws. The sound of the attacks was momentarily deafening and lasted for half a minute before subsiding.

Needless to say, the zombies were gone.

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

Youkai's face formed into a grin as he walked into the ring opposite Yugi. As he approached his standing point, he cast out his arm, and Nick's body was flung across the room. "I always knew you would win, Pharaoh," he stated as he took his position, "those who attempted to protect you by preventing you from facing me were fools. Amateurs as well, come to think of it. Still, it was amusing seeing them fall."

Yami scowled at Youkai and shuffled his deck in preparation for the duel ahead. He had to prepare himself for any possible strategy Youkai might use. He slammed the deck into his Duel Disk and waited for Youkai to reveal his deck. The thing was, Youkai wasn't even solid, and he didn't appear to be holding a Duel Disk in any manner.

Seeing the unspoken question in Yami's eyes, Youkai held out his arm, "Dueling would be a bit inconvenient without a Duel Disk, so I'll just make one now," with that, black flames erupted around his outstretched arm. When the flames died down, a black Duel Disk was revealed on Youkai's arm. "I'll also need a deck. While I could create that as well, I happen to have one ready. My former host was prepared to duel the winner of this tournament, as you should already know," he cast out his right arm, and a deck of Duel Monsters cards flew from the body of Cerberus. With another wave of Youkai's arm, the deck began to shuffle itself in mid-air. "Your reign as pharaoh began millennia ago," stated Youkai as his deck shuffled, "so I believe you're long overdue to be overthrown." He motioned to his deck once more, and it slid into its slot in his Duel Disk.

"It won't matter how much you try, Youkai," stated Yami, "you will never gain the power of the Millennium Puzzle!"

Youkai seemed to quirk an eyebrow at Yami's statement. "While your Puzzle does contain great magical powers," he said quietly as he activated his Duel Disk, "I'm not interested in possessing them. I only have to make sure they're dealt with."

"What do you mean by that?" Yami demanded as he also activated his Duel Disk and drew five cards.

Youkai sighed and closed his eyes in thought for a moment before he drew six cards and responded, "I suppose since you'll be dead soon I might as well tell you." Then he opened his eyes and grinned as if in anticipation, "This tournament…it has only been a prelude to something much, much greater. After I have dealt with you, none will stand in the path of a much greater objective. I will relish the day it happens…" He paused, and a black snake of shadow emerged from his mouth and traced the outline of his mouth. "All of the death…it will be magnificent…" He suddenly seemed to come to his senses and looked down at his hand, "But for now I'll have to satisfy myself by destroying you."

Youkai: 4000 Yami: 4000

"I begin the duel by setting a monster in defense mode, coupled with another card facedown," the two cards appeared in front of Youkai as he spoke, the first one horizontal and the second perpendicular to it. "Next I play the permanent Spell card Ground Collapse!" As he slid the card into his Duel Disk, the two outer monster zones on Yami's Duel Disk suddenly sank into the ground, leaving only empty abyss in their wake. "This card prevents you from summoning monsters in two of your monster zones as long as it is face-up on the field," explained Youkai with a grin, "and with that, I'll end my turn."

Yami narrowed his eyes at Youkai and drew, "That card will hardly affect me. I still have the ability to control up to three monsters at once." He examined the six cards he held and pondered silently what to do, _'That card is useless on its own, but I know Youkai played it for a purpose. It's most likely to buy time for his true strategy, so he'll have more cards like it. I have to strike quickly to prevent him from setting me up for a great blow. Unfortunately none of the cards in my hand can make a real impact right now. I'll just have to slowly clear his field.' _"I summon Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts (1500/1200)!" The lion-like creature bounded onto the field in front of Yami, shaking its black mane and letting out a fierce roar. "Gazelle, attack his monster!" The beast lunged towards Youkai's facedown monster, which flipped up to reveal a blue, beetle-like humanoid with six arms that held various items. Gazelle pounced on the insectoid and closed its jaws around its neck, tearing the thing's head off.

Youkai smirked as he placed the card into his graveyard, "My Magical Merchant (200/700), when flipped, allows me to pick up cards from my deck until I reach a Spell or Trap card. Then that card is added to my hand while the rest are discarded." He flipped the top card off his deck and glanced at it before thrusting it into his graveyard. Then he picked up the next card, and grinned as he added it to his hand. "Are you done now?"

"No," responded Yami as he placed two of the remaining five cards in his hand into his Duel Disk, "I set two Spell or Trap cards facedown and end my turn."

Youkai drew his next card, then put it and the card he had drawn from Magical Merchant into his Duel Disk. "I set a card facedown, and also play the second Ground Collapse!" Yami gasped as the area on either side of Gazelle sank into the ground, leaving only the area around Gazelle intact. Now he could only control one monster at a time, and it was doubtful he would be able to launch an effective assault under those conditions.

Youkai chuckled and passed the turn to Yami, who drew and immediately went on the assault, "You may have limited my options, but your Life Points are wide open for an attack! Gazelle, attack him directly!" Once again, Gazelle leapt through the air with its claws outstretched, prepared to rend Youkai apart.

"Activate Sakuretsu Armor!" yelled Youkai as one of his set cards flipped up and he was covered in white and blue bladed armor. As Gazelle reached him, he thrust out an arm and caught it around its throat. The beast struggled briefly and feebly swatted at Youkai with its claws before the dark being tightened his grip and crushed Gazelle's throat. The beast fell dead to the floor.

Yami growled and placed a card in his Duel Disk, "I set one monster in defense mode. End turn."

Youkai grinned and drew, "Your pathetic attempts to harm me are amusing. For now I'll set this monster in defense mode and end my turn."

Yami drew and glared at Youkai, "You may be able to limit the number of monsters I can use, but I'll still cut down your defenses and strike you down! I flip up my set monster, Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400/1700)!" The first of the three Magnet Warriors emerged from its defensive position, sword and shield raised for battle. "Alpha, attack his set monster!" The metallic swordsman lumbered towards Youkai's field and raised its sword, prepared to bring it down on Youkai's monster.

…And suddenly it collapsed in a heap on the ground and shuddered violently. "What happened to my monster?" asked Yami in shock as Alpha struggled into a kneeling position.

"Quite simple," replied Youkai as he pointed at one of his cards, which had flipped up, "I activated Gravity Bind, so no monsters of level 4 or greater may now attack."

Yami narrowed his eyes. Youkai had an excellent set-up now, leaving Yami with very few options to launch an assault. Yami double-checked the remaining four cards in his hand and selected one, placing it into one of the Spell/Trap slots of his Duel Disk. Then he nodded to Youkai, indicating his turn was over.

Youkai drew, seemingly content with his set-up. "I'll now flip the monster I just defended," he stated as he flipped the monster on his black Duel Disk, "behold, a monster that has been used excessively in this tournament, Cyber Jar (900/900)!" Yami frowned as the silver spherical machine appeared before immediately self-destructing, taking Alpha down with it. While the move would hardly affect the pharaoh directly, it would definitely give Youkai an advantage. Flicking five cards from his deck, Yami looked through his new options before summoning the one monster among them, Beta the Magnet Warrior (1700/1000) in attack mode.

Youkai smirked as the yellow magnetic being appeared, its curved claws held ready for combat. "I'd like to thank you for summoning your monster in attack mode," he stated as he selected two of his new five cards, "it allows me to gather the cornerstones of my deck more quickly."

"What do you mean?" questioned Yami.

"You'll see in just a moment," Youkai stated as he placed the two cards on his Duel Disk. Before him, a facedown monster appeared, followed by a turtle that had a metal shell that somewhat resembled a flying saucer. "I summon one monster in defense mode and UFO Turtle (1400/1200) in attack mode!"

"What good will that weak monster do you?" Yami asked, "it's obviously weaker than Beta, plus Gravity Bind prevents it from attacking anyways."

Youkai chuckled and waved a finger back and forth, "Oh, how naïve of you, Pharaoh. Let's not forget that Gravity Bind is my Trap, and as such I've been prepared for quite some time to get around its hindrance. My method is quite simple: I'll simply temporarily remove it from the field by playing Giant Trunade!" A maelstrom immediately kicked up in the arena, and howling winds blasted around the two duelists. The six Spells and Traps currently on the field burst into Youkai's and Yami's hands, leaving just their three monsters on the field.

"Now that I have nothing preventing me from attacking," Youkai stated, "I'll have UFO Turtle attack!" The shelled reptile let out a guttural noise and jumped about two inches off the ground. Then its shell lit up and it mysteriously began to float in mid-air. With its new flight, the turtle hovered quickly towards Beta the Magnet Warrior, which casually smashed its claw on the turtle's head, sending the extraterrestrial reptile flying to the side before crashing into a wall.

Youkai: 3700 Yami: 4000

Yami smirked at Youkai's failed attempt and taunted, "Perhaps next time you'll remember to attack with a stronger monster, or are you deliberately trying to lose the duel?"

"Oh, shut the hell up, Pharaoh," Youkai spat dismissively, "do you really think me that moronic? UFO Turtle is one of several monsters in my deck specifically meant to allow me to summon a special set of monsters more quickly. And here's the first of them: with UFO Turtle's ability to Special Summon a Fire-attribute monster with 1500 or less attack points when it is destroyed in battle, I summon People Running About (600/600)!" In the Turtle's place appeared a large group of people dashing around aimlessly in a great panic.

"You sacrificed a monster and 300 Life Points for this?" Yami asked bewilderedly with a quirked eyebrow. "What's the point of summoning a monster with 600 attack and defense?"

Youkai chuckled again, and grinned. "You'll see soon enough, Pharaoh," he assured, "but first, I'll reply both Ground Collapses, not to mention setting a certain card facedown. I wonder what it could be?" Yami cringed as the ground that surrounded Beta, which had reappeared when Youkai had played Giant Trunade, sank once again into the Earth.

Yami drew, giving himself a total of ten cards in his hand. "One moment, before you announce any moves," Youkai stated as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, "I'll save you the trouble of waiting by simply activating Gravity Bind right now." Beta fell to the ground as the Trap took effect once again, and struggled not to collapse completely. The People Running About were unaffected, proving them to be below level 4.

Yami looked over the cards in his hand and grimaced, seeing that none of them would allow him to break out of Youkai's control. All he could do was hope he was prepared when Youkai made any kind of assault. "I'll set these four cards facedown," he stated as the majority of his hand slid into his Duel Disk, "and end my turn." This way, he'd be able to play a good Spell when he got one, and he didn't have to worry about discarding cards to keep below the limit.

Youkai drew, and immediately played a card, "I play Heart of Clear Water on People Running About, preventing them from being destroyed in battle. Then I switch them to defense mode." Yami nodded in understanding. Youkai had obviously put some effort into summoning the monster; it was only logical that he try to protect it.

"Now I'll summon Witch of the Black Forest (1100/1200) in attack mode," Youkai's next monster was a commonly played one, a pale-skinned woman with purple hair, wearing a black dress and possessing three eyes, one in the center of her forehead. "Next I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying my own Gravity Bind," continued Youkai as a black twister appeared around his Trap card and destroyed it. Yami growled, anticipating what would happen next. While he disliked the fact that Youkai would soon gain another piece of his strategy, none of his facedown cards would prevent him from doing so. The Witch's ability took effect whenever it was destroyed, not just through battle.

"Witch of the Black Forest, attack Beta the Magnet Warrior!" Youkai commanded, and the woman lunged towards the magnetic humanoid with her hands held out like claws. Beta easily dispatched the Witch by clubbing her head with its left arm, and she fell to the ground, slain by the powerful blow.

Youkai: 3100 Yami: 4000

"Of course," Youkai said offhandedly as a card floated out of the middle of his deck, "Witch of the Black Forest now activates her effect, placing a monster with 1500 or less defense from my deck into my hand." He grasped the card out of mid-air and added it to his hand, giving him six total. Finally he selected a different card in his hand and placed it between both Ground Collapses facedown before ending his turn.

Yami drew and snarled slightly. Still nothing to bring down Youkai's strategy… "Beta, attack his facedown monster!" For the third time, the second Magnet Warrior engaged in battle, lumbering towards Youkai's defending monster with both arms raised above its head. As Beta continued its charge, Yami glanced several times at Youkai's facedown card, which failed to flip up. Finally the monster card vanished, and was replaced by a large group of people. However, this crowd was not panicky like the People Running About. Instead, they seemed depressed and hopeless. Despite their pitiful appearance, the group managed to avoid Beta's blow, then pelted it with various stones before it stumbled backwards. Meanwhile, Yami's Life Points took a slight dip.

Youkai: 3100 Yami: 3700

"You've made the mistake of attacking my Oppressed People (400/2000)," stated Youkai with a slight snicker, "this is the second piece of my strategy, and I guarantee that you'll be on your knees once you experience its full power on my next turn."

"We'll see," stated Yami, "I won't play any more cards this turn, so I'm forced to discard a card from my hand to stay at the six-card limit."

"Whatever," Youkai seemed to shrug as Yami discarded one card and he drew one, "I'm going to finish you here and now anyway. First I summon United Resistance (1000/400)!" A third group of people appeared, this one shouting angrily at Yami and looking ready to stampede over his field at a moment's notice.

"You've successfully summoned three monsters," Yami conceded, "but none of them have over 1000 attack points. Not only that, but I still have four cards on the field that stand in their path. And from what I can see from here all three of them are Normal monsters, meaning they don't have effects for me to worry about."

Youkai chuckled again, and this time his chuckling lasted longer than before until it escalated into a full, deep laugh of triumph, "AH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH! It's not the individual monsters that counts, Pharaoh, it's that I have all three on the field at once!"

"What's that matter?" Yami questioned, "As I said, none of them have effects."

"True," Youkai said with a grin, "but just think about it. A very large group of people, all of them fed up with their way of life and horribly oppressed by their government. I don't blame you for it, since you've been trapped in a jigsaw puzzle for the last several thousand years, but you certainly don't know your history."

"What's history have to do with these cards?" Yami asked, beginning to become frustrated with Youkai's carrying on.

"Well, you see…" said Youkai with a grin, "for a period of nearly one hundred years, beginning in the late eighteenth century, revolts broke out across the world. First it happened in the North American continent, when the thirteen colonies of Great Britain revolted due to unfair treatment by their government. After waging war with their home country, the colonies formed what became known as the United States of America. Nearly ten years after this event ended, the people of France revolted in a similar fashion. However…" again the black snake of shadow appeared from within Youkai's mouth, and traced his lips as he paused before continuing. "They rose up in a much more violent fashion. Let us just say that heads rolled…quite literally. While many more revolutions occurred throughout the nineteenth century, changing the face of Europe, the French Revolution of 1789 remains my personal favorite. And now…you'll get to experience such an event first hand."

With a wave of his arm, Youkai's facedown card flipped up, revealing a card whose image depicted three people crossing what appeared to be an umbrella, a pickaxe, and a sword in a sort of salute. A person from each of the groups of people in front of Youkai mimicked the motion, and suddenly makeshift weapons appeared in the hands of every one of the people. "Activate Trap card, Huge Revolution! This card will destroy all cards on your field and in your hand! With all obstructions cleared from the field my monsters will attack directly! KILL THE PHARAOH! STRIKE HIM DOWN AND END HIS REIGN!" Yami gasped as the hundreds of people yelled out and charged his field, burying Beta and crushing his facedown cards in their stampede. Unable to defend himself in any other way, Yami created a barrier of energy in front of him to hold back the crowd. But the revolutionaries were too many, and Yami soon weakened under their onslaught and the barrier fell, allowing them to fall upon the pharaoh and beat him. Their blows lacked skill and were made with objects not meant to be true weapons, but they came with such force and numbers that Yami suffered great injury every second. The assault was made without strategy, without hesitation, without thought. People broke their weapons on Yami's body and still continued to attack him, either bashing him with the fragments or flinging themselves upon him. He was kicked, strangled, punched, stabbed, bit, tackled, cut, stoned, and attacked in so many other ways for what seemed to be an incredibly long time, for the revolutionaries simply refused to stop. Eventually Yami blacked out under the pain. And through it all, Youkai's triumphant laugh was heard.

-…Below Youkai's prison…-

Serenity cringed and picked a bit of decayed bone off her shirt. The duelists' slaying of the zombies had been very efficient. However, at the same time it had been very, very messy. "So, where do we go from here?"

"Youkai designed this prison with the intention of temporarily imprisoning us so that he would have time to duel Yami without interference," Nick stated as he stepped around various piles of ashes towards a large pair of doors, "therefore, the exit should be nearby. I don't think Youkai would have expected us to get this far this quickly." The doors he now stood in front of looked ancient, much like the rest of the room the group stood in. The doors had also been painted on a great deal, and now depicted the head of some horrible creature immersed in shadow with its jaws opened, prepared to consume something.

"Well, that looks welcoming," commented Lin as the group closed around the door, Yamato with Giyan still tied to his back.

"Bah," Nick responded, "It's just a door." And with that he reached out his arm to push the doors open. Before his hand reached the door, a snake-like tongue lanced from the mouth of the beast depicted on the doorway and latched around his wrist. "Hm…though I could be wrong…GAH!" The final exclamation came as the tongue began to pull him into the mouth, which now opened wider to consume him. Before anyone could react, the tongue, which it could now be seen had appeared through the crack between the doors, pulled Nick forcefully into the doors, momentarily stunning him. Apparently confused, the beast let its tongue go slack so that Nick fell slightly backwards. Then the doors parted a foot and the tongue pulled on Nick's arm again.

Anticipating the result of the beast's success in this maneuver would be a bad thing, Yamato and Term each grabbed Nick and pulled back, resulting in a tug-of-war with the tongue. In a daze, Nick commented in a slurred speech, "You know, from a spectator's point of view, I'll bet this would seem slightly amusing…"

No later than Nick had spoken, Lin drew his sword and sliced down on the tongue, sending blood spurting about and Yamato, Term, and Nick stumbling backwards. From beyond the doorway, a bellow of pain could be heard, and the remaining bit of the beast's tongue was pulled back through the doors, which closed.

"Okay, fearless leader," remarked Kirbin, "what now?"

"We slay the monster," Nick replied simply.

"Well, I figured that much out," said Kirbin, "but how are we going to go about doing it?"

"The creature is actually somehow part of the door," Nick observed, "so, if we destroy the door-"

SHING! SLICE! "Way ahead of you, Nick," Lin stated as he sheathed his sword.

"Lin…" Term said, "what did you do?"

"I cut straight down the crack between the doors," Lin said with a smile. Then the doors fell open…and blood began to leak from them onto the floor.

"Oh…ew…" Tea summed up the group's thoughts very easily. However, seconds after they had been disgusted by the sight of the blood (plus the occasional bit of brain fluid), their attention was drawn upward to what was beyond the doorway, and several of them gasped. Because before them was a circle that portrayed an image that Youkai now saw. Through Youkai's eyes, the group now saw Yami, severely wounded and lying unconscious…

-…The Tokyo Tournament Finals…-

The crowd of revolutionaries had finally stopped assaulting Yami, and was making their way back to Youkai's field. The pharaoh looked very much worse for wear, with blood seeping from various wounds in his body. "This is such a wonderful sight!" praised Youkai with glee, "Although I do hope he gets up so I can crush him again. Still, if he never does wake up, I'll be the winner. Since I'm calling the shots in this game, I'll rule you have five minutes before I am officially declared the winner." Youkai grinned in anticipation. Soon, it would all be over…

"I'm…not…done…yet…Youkai…" Yami stirred, his right arm pushing his body up off the floor so that he could lift his left leg beneath him.

"Impossible…" Youkai said with a growl, "I hoped I would get a chance to attack you again, but there's no way you could have survived that beating!"

"Yes, there is," Yami countered as he tried to stand, but was unable to place weight on his right leg. Instead he kneeled as he continued, "When I knew my barrier would not be able to hold back the attack, I instead used the magic of my Millennium Puzzle to fortify my body against blunt, physical weapons. While I still maintained great injuries, I was able to shrug off many of the revolutionaries' blows. And so the duel will continue." He attempted to lift his left arm, but cringed as the action was greeted by a sting of pain. Unable to lift his Duel Disk in this manner, he grabbed it with his right arm and managed to prop it and his left arm up on his right knee. Then he drew a card, giving him only that one card.

Youkai: 3100 Yami: 1700

"You may have survived," stated Youkai, "but now you're top decking, and while my three monsters are weak, it's only a matter of time before I draw a second Huge Revolution."

"Then I'll just have to work quickly," Yami replied as he placed his one card on his Duel Disk, "I summon the third Magnet Warrior, Gamma (1500/1800)!" The pink, winged Magnet Warrior appeared in front of him, its metal fists raised. "Gamma, attack Oppressed People!" The metal warrior dove towards the large crowd in front of Youkai and started swinging, sending people flying through the air wherever it went. Seconds later, about a third of the group that had assaulted Yami was gone, along with a good chunk of Youkai's Life Points.

Youkai: 2000 Yami: 1700

"Just like that, we're almost even in Life Points," Yami said with a small grin, "plus, I now have the strongest monster on the field."

"It matters little!" Youkai snarled as he snapped a card off his deck, "You'll still die!" With a glance at the card, he grinned. "I play Pot of Greed, so now I'll draw two cards." He did so, and at the sight of one of them he chuckled, "Your pathetic attempts to destroy my monsters are useless! I play Monster Reborn, reviving Oppressed People!" Instantly, the people Gamma had destroyed reappeared amidst their companions, and they collectively glared at Yami.

"That will hardly matter," Yami stated, just before he cringed at a pain his arm, "Gamma is stronger than your other two monsters, so on my next turn I'll destroy United Resistance. Huge Revolution can only be activated on your turn, and it's completely useless without all three of your monsters on the field.

Youkai chuckled again before playing his next card, "Fool. Gamma won't make it to your next turn, because I play Shield and Sword!" Yami grimaced as all four monsters swapped their attack and defense scores. While Gamma became stronger, Oppressed People could now destroy it (Gamma: 1800/1500, Oppressed People: 2000/400, People Running About: 600/600, United Resistance: 400/1000). "Now, once again, my revolutionaries, attack the pharaoh!"

The people stampeded once more, one third breaking off to batter Gamma with their various makeshift weapons and the remainder going straight for Yami. The pharaoh immediately reached out with the magical energies of the Puzzle again and created a barrier that held back the tide of people, but he knew it would soon fall. He had depleted much of his strength during the last assault, and even if he braced his body again, there would be no way to survive the mob a second time. The revolutionaries beat at the barrier with an immense amount of vigor until finally it shattered and the flooded forwards. Unable to act, Yami could only close his eyes and await death.

Suddenly, a dome of black and white energy closed over him just before the mob could reach him, and it held back their blows. "WHAT?" Youkai bellowed in rage at seeing his attack stopped cold. "How did this happen?"

-…Meanwhile…-

Through the viewing portal, the group Youkai had imprisoned watched as the revolutionaries ceased their assault, unable to break through the dome of energy surrounding the pharaoh. As the crowd sunk away, the dome dissipated, revealing Yami, unharmed and thankful for it. "Good job, Giyan," remarked Term.

"Nngh…no problem…" replied Giyan, who had woken up just in time to create the dome. His task complete, Giyan fell asleep again.

-…Back at the finals…-

"It seems I have been granted assistance," Yami said with a weak grin, "so I'm still far from done in this battle!"

Youkai: 2000 Yami: 500

"Don't get cocky," Youkai replied with a growl as he selected one of the four cards in his hand, "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."

Yami drew carefully so as not to hurt his injured left arm. Then he placed the card he had drawn into his Duel Disk. "All I can do is set that card facedown on the field," he stated as it appeared before him, "End turn."

"And now end game!" Youkai yelled as he drew. Without looking at the card, he declared, "Attack him again!" The tide of bodies rushed forward once more, so intent on having Yami's head that they did not even consider rest. Such was the vigor and bloodlust within them. Youkai grinned as they closed in on Yami…then stared in confusion as they all stopped. "What happened?" Youkai asked, unable to see beyond the crowd.

"I activated Waboku," Yami stated as the crowd parted, revealing three priestesses standing between the revolutionaries and Yami. "I am safe for one more turn."

Youkai snarled in anger. How could one person be this lucky? Surviving one assault with pure magic, another from outside interference, and a third with one of the few cards that would have worked. Youkai glanced at the card he had drawn and his frustration began to dim. "Heheh… You may have successfully survived, Pharaoh," he said, "but I've drawn the second Huge Revolution! On my next turn, any useful cards you draw will be stripped away, and the path will be clear for me to attack with all three of my monsters! Even if you get lucky and someone blocks the physical assault, I'll still deal you 2000 damage, easily enough to finish you off!" He laughed darkly, and set the card into his Duel Disk. Now it was only a matter of one more turn…

After Youkai had finished laughing, Yami glared at him for a few moments in silence, before he spoke, "While the odds are against my drawing the card that will win this duel in just one turn are slim, I have faith in my deck. The safety of my friends and the world are depending on me to win the duel here and now, and I won't let them down!" With that said, he snapped a card off his deck and held it up to his face. "I play Card of Sanctity, so we both draw until we hold six cards!" Youkai growled, knowing that now Yami had six new cards to work with. He himself drew three. Yami glanced over his new hand and immediately placed one on his Duel Disk, "When drawn outside the Draw Phase, my Watapon (300/500) is instantly summoned to the field." A white-pink puffball with antennae that ended in smaller spheres of the same color appeared before him. However, this was just the beginning of Yami's move.

"I now sacrifice Watapon to summon Dark Magician Girl (2000/1700)!" the Watapon faded from existence, and in its place the enthusiastic mage shimmered into view. She twirled in mid-air and struck a pose, then raised her scepter for battle.

"That will hardly do you good," remarked Youkai, "especially since I now activate Gravity Bind, preventing her from attacking!"

Dark Magician Girl immediately fell to the ground, and her scepter dropped. "Gravity Bind won't be affecting me anymore," Yami promised as he placed another cards into his Duel Disk, "and neither will any of your other cards! Activate Heavy Storm!" A violent twister emerged on the field, and its vacuum pulled in all five of Youkai's Spell and Trap cards.

"Damn it!" shouted Youkai as his cards were destroyed, "Well, you still only have one monster on the field. And I still have enough Life Points to last through this turn."

"That's where you're wrong!" declared Yami as he played one more card, "Activate Sage's Stone!" As he spoke, a purple jewel appeared in front of the Dark Magician Girl, and then glowed brightly before changing into the Dark Magician. "With Dark Magician Girl on the field, this card summons the Dark Magician from my deck. So now, with no other cards in their path, my mages will attack! Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, combine your abilities into one strike! Double Dark Magic Attack!" The Dark Magician raised his staff while his apprentice raised her scepter, and together they brought their objects forward and launched bursts of energy that swirled together in a mighty tempest that crashed into the gathered mass of people and sent them flying in all directions. The blast continued forward until it struck Youkai, who was sent backwards by the assault.

Youkai: 0 Yami: 500

As Youkai's Life Points fell to zero, the souls of those he had imprisoned sprang free, and they ripped through his chest and soared about the room before finding their respective bodies. "Damn it!" Youkai exclaimed as he got to his feet, "I was so close! Well, if I can't take the Puzzle in a duel…" he dashed over to Yami and clamped his hand around the pharaoh's throat before heaving him upwards. He tightened his grip, cutting off Yami from oxygen, "…then I'll just have to kill you the old-fashioned way!"

SHING!

Yami fell to the ground, unconscious, with Youkai's arm still gripping his neck, though without exerting pressure. Then the arm dissipated into nothingness, leaving Yami freed from its chokehold. Youkai looked up in surprise to see that he no longer had an arm attached to his right shoulder. Then he looked beyond it to see Lin, sword drawn and pointed at him. "That sword…hurt me?"

"Yep," Lin said simply, and he rammed his blade into Youkai's gut. The being fell backwards, and it was plain to see he was beginning to panic. Others had joined Lin now, and Youkai knew he stood no chance against them.

Suddenly, all those that were advancing on Youkai were picked up by some invisible force and thrown aside. Surprised but relieved, Youkai looked at his savior…and fell to his knees. "Master!" he cried, "You've come to rescue me! Oh, thank you! I promise I can defeat the pharaoh if you just give me one more chance to do so…" The one he was speaking to looked quite ordinary. It was a man, about six feet tall, with combed-back black hair. He wore a black business suit with a red tie, he was clean-shaven, and he walked so casually it almost seemed he was bored. However, his lips seemed to be permanently lifted at the edges, so that at the same time he looked constantly amused by something.

Youkai continued to ramble on about being given a second chance, but the man hardly seemed to be listening. After slowly pacing towards Youkai, he finally looked down at the being of darkness and said, very quietly, "Oh, shut up." And with that, he poked Youkai's forehead with his finger. Youkai howled in pain at the contact, and his body seemed to warp and change into painful positions before he vanished completely.

The man turned to face the group he had flung aside, and spoke, "I think we'll be seeing each other again soon." He waved his hand once, "Tootles." And then he was gone.

Yugi stirred, and he lifted his head up slightly and spoke, "Is it over?"

"No," Nick replied, getting to his feet, "I think it's just beginning."

* * *

So now the dueling portion of the fic is done. Still, a couple things need to be tied up, so read on. 


	33. The End

Here you go, the end of the story. Technically. The next chapter's the epilogue, so you could call that the end too.

Why is it the end of something can make you satisfied. Heck, if the world ended tomorrow, I sure as heck wouldn't be satisfied... I'm gonna go rob a bank now...

**Tokyo Tournament**

**Chapter Thirty-Three: The End**

**Also Entitled: In Conclusion…**

It was 9:48 pm when the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament ended. Five minutes later, on the evening news, a female anchor said this: "-plan to invade Norway and- Wait one moment…This just in: A horrible event has occurred at the Tokyo Duel Monsters Tournament, which was held today by tycoon Alexander Cerberus at a hotel he owns. During the finals of the tournament, it is reported, a group of terrorists attacked the duelists as well as friends who accompanied them. The victims state that several small bombs went off, then the terrorists attacked with various melee weapons. One of the duelists, who works with various police forces, drove off the attackers in a heroic effort. He had this to say:"

Yamato's face, still concealed by bandages and his sunglasses, appeared on the screen. "The method of attack was no doubt in order to deliver a message," he stated, "rather than destroying the building, the terrorists wanted to make the statement that their targets are human lives."

"A frightening statement," said the anchorwoman, reappearing on screen, "but this should still be viewed as a great act in preventing disaster. No deaths occurred during the incident, but various duelists had burns, cuts, and a few broken bones. Mr. Cerberus was shoved over a balcony and suffered a fractured neck, but he was revived and was able to move his arms and legs before being rushed to a hospital. Cerberus was the only one taken to a hospital, as the others were treated on the spot and refused further medical treatment. Before he left, Cerberus offered the full $5 million-dollar-reward to the champion of the tournament, Yugi Moto. Moto, a fifteen-year-old student at Domino High and the Duel Monsters World Champion, declined, however, stating all he wanted at the moment was 'to go home.'"

-…Narita International Airport…-

"You know, you're too generous, Yug'," said Joey as he supported Mai's weight. Mai was wearing a walking boot on her right leg. The blast from Kai's XYZ Dragon Cannon hadn't touched her bone, but her ankle would have to heal. Joey himself was sporting a good number of singe marks. "If you'd taken that five million, you'd be set!"

Yugi smiled and replied simply, "There will be more tournaments. Besides, I don't need to be a millionaire. I'm perfectly happy with the life I have." He was currently in a wheelchair, with his right leg in a cast and propped up. His left arm was also in a cast and was supported by a cloth that wrapped about his neck. The attack by Youkai's monsters had fractured his lower leg and broken his elbow. The injuries would take time to heal, but Yugi seemed up to it.

"I think he's just an idiot," Giyan remarked with a tired smile. While he was back up on his feet after a great deal of rest, the young man still looked drained, and his head slumped forward slightly.

"Well, money isn't everything," a virtually uninjured Tristan stated, "Having five million dollars would hardly do anything to make Yugi a better person. Heck, it might be a turn for the worse!"

"Yeah, you're right," Joey said with a grin, "after all, just look at Kaiba!"

Serenity, who had also suffered little harm, chuckled at her brother's remark along with Tea. She then said, "Well, let's be fair. Cerberus DID promise to pay all our medical bills."

"Great," muttered Mai, "I'd hate to have to PAY for nearly being killed."

"He also gave us each some money to compensate for the experience," Tea reminded.

"Indeed he did," agreed Bakura, "and I'm quite satisfied with it."

"Twenty-five grand a person," Joey said with a huff, "wow, we're really rolling in it."

"For once we're on the same page, mutt," remarked Kaiba as he walked up, "for twenty-five thousand I could probably get an extra pair of shoes."

Joey growled at the billionaire's statement and shot back, "Shut up Kaiba, ya pompous stuck-up piecea crap!"

Kaiba exhaled sharply in a superior manner and brushed past Joey, "Be quiet, Wheeler, I have to talk to someone who can communicate without barking." While Joey growled in response and prepared to pound on Kaiba, the brown-haired teen walked up to Yugi and took a Duel Monsters card out of his pocket and handed it to Yugi.

The tri-hair-colored boy accepted the card and flipped it over to look at it, and gasped as he saw its blue border. "Kaiba, what-?"

"This tournament demonstrated to me that I have a great deal of room for improvement in the dueling field," Kaiba said, cutting his rival off, "and I don't believe I can gain strength if I rely upon that card. So take it back, because in order to become more powerful I can't accept your charity. When the time comes, I will challenge you to a duel, and I'll earn that card." With that, he turned and walked off.

* * *

Meanwhile, Term and Yamato sat in two nearby chairs and spoke. "So, you got to appear on national television," Term said, "you think you'll get any more media attention for your heroic acts?" 

"No," Yamato replied, "I refused to tell them my name, and my identification does not have my name listed."

"That's kind of an oxymoron, isn't it?" Term mused, "Anonymous ID… Well, I don't see why you got the spotlight. We ALL contributed."

"Yes," agreed Yamato, "but it stands to greater reason that the one who can remain anonymous and has connections with police forces should be the representative for the incident."

"How about Yugi?" Term asked, "He'll get a lot of attention."

"He wins every tournament he attends," Yamato replied, "and something weird happens at each one. So far, the paparazzi have ignored him."

"Yeah," Term admitted, "odd, that. You know, it's hard to imagine you got connections to the government without revealing you're an android."

"I have my methods," Yamato said simply.

"Yeah, speaking of which," Term continued, "how do you keep getting past airport security? Your friggin' body's made of metal."

"I know how to talk to machines."

"Oh…that would explain why computers work for you and not for me…"

"No, that's because you think hitting one button over and over again will make the computer do what you want."

"Oh, shut up…"

* * *

Sitting in a pair of seats some distance away were Kirbin and Joy. Kirbin had a few singe marks about his person, but was otherwise healthy. Joy was virtually unscathed, though she had doubtless been affected mentally by the experiences of the past day. "So just what is the story behind your essences?" she asked in an attempt to make conversation. 

Kirbin closed his eyes at her question, and began to remember the day that seemed so long ago… He did not tell her the whole story, but he did tell her what mattered. "When I was a kid, on my home world," he began, "my dad, who had protected the world for many years before me, died. The world was left without anyone strong enough to keep it safe. But before he died, my father told me about the seven who had guarded the world before he had come, and how they would join with me. I was given their strength and abilities, and they agreed to grant me these on the condition that I would release their spirits when the time came."

"What time?" asked Joy. She had apparently come to terms with the fact that Kirbin, along with his friends, was an alien of some sort. Still, he seemed in all ways human, and his presence was a comfort to Joy after the horrible events that had occurred recently.

"They never told me," Kirbin said quietly, "all they said when I asked that very question was 'When you have found your cause.' And it's taken me until now to realize what they meant."

He opened his eyes and turned to face Joy. Her mouth opened to ask him what the answer was, but he silenced her unspoken query by leaning forward and kissing her on the lips. And as he did so, seven beams of light, invisible to any spectators, burst from his body and soared out into the universe…

* * *

In another part of the airport, a burnt Shaun was approached by a blonde duelist only slightly older than himself. The teenager that approached him had his Duel Disk strapped to his arm and had an air of determination about him. Shaun looked up and saw that it was Kevin Hunter, the duelist that Kaiba had defeated in the finals. "Can I help you?" Shaun asked. 

"You possess a copy of the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragons," Kevin stated as he activated his Duel Disk, "ever since I began to play the game, I've wanted one of them. You don't deserve that card, you just happened to stumble across someone who made a mistake!"

Shaun frowned at Kevin's accusation, but he did not seem to have taken great offense. "So you want to be uncivilized and duel for the possession of the card?" Shaun asked. Kevin nodded and gritted his teeth as he drew a five-card hand. "Alright, I'll duel you," Shaun stated as he took his Duel Disk out of a bag and strapped it on before drawing his own hand. _This is for the best,_ Shaun thought to himself, _something tells me this kid will be needing the dragon far more than I will…_ "Alright, let's duel!"

* * *

"So, explain everything to me again…" Yugi stated, a somewhat confused expression on his face. He was sitting in his wheelchair next to Nick, who was also seated. He had received multiple cuts and bruises as well as some second-degree burns, but was obviously in better shape than the possessor of the Millennium Puzzle. 

Nick sighed and gave the short version of his story again. "I was told by Isis, whom you have met, that Youkai would attempt to claim your Puzzle. In order to prevent this from occurring, I gathered Giyan, Yamato, Lin, Kirbin, and Term from their various locations in areas that can be very difficult to get to. They were assigned with protecting you throughout the tournament, and in the finals we knew Youkai would seek to face you in the last duel when you would be somewhat weary from your past battles. So to prevent you from losing to him, we attempted to defeat you."

Yugi took a moment to register this, and then said, "Wow, that makes it a whole lot less confusing. I'll bet if anyone were watching the tournament, they'd have been extremely confused."

"Probably," agreed Nick.

"So, what should we do now?" Yugi asked.

"Well, Shaun, Giyan, Yamato, Lin, Kirbin, Term, and myself will be staying here for awhile," Nick replied, "there's no way of telling where that man we saw will go to, so for now we'll stay put. I don't know what will happen, but there's no point in worrying about it for now. Just try to enjoy yourself and heal your injuries. Oh, speaking of which…" he dug into a pocket in his shirt and pulled out a pair of pills, "Yamato wanted you to have these."

Yugi quirked an eyebrow and accepted them before asking, "What are they?"

"They'll accelerate the healing of your bones," Nick replied, "Yamato said you should take them before you go to sleep. Your limbs should heal enough for you to take the cast off the next day."

"What, one dose?" Yugi asked, bewildered, "Overnight?"

"Well…let's just say huge medical advancements can be made in a period of five centuries."

* * *

Time passed, and soon the duelists began boarding their plane. But first came the final farewells. "Sorry we aren't coming with you," Kirbin said, his arm entwined with Joy's, "just be sure to take some time to relax." 

"Yeah," Lin chimed in, "break a leg!" WHAP! "Owww…Term…"

"Idiot," Term muttered.

"Be sure not to hurt each other," Tea told the two, who had begun to trade blows now.

"That's wishful thinking," murmured Giyan, who then said, in a louder voice, "I'm sure we'll see each other again. Just remember that when that happens, it may not necessarily be a good thing." More good-byes were exchanged, but within minutes Yugi and his friends had boarded their plane.

* * *

It is always a good thing to go home, but at the same time it is difficult to say farewell to friends. And while the eight that remained in the airport had not known those who had departed for any great length of time, they had shared enough experiences in the past few days that bonds had been formed between them. 

While departures are painful, at the same time they bring a sense of anticipation. For many farewells are not permanent ones, and as such we can look forward to reuniting with those we leave. In the same way, as these final words are written, I do not feel sadness, but rather anticipation, for I will begin to write anew in a very short amount of time. Until that time comes, I believe it is appropriate to say that this moment in the story is…

_The End_


	34. Epilogue

**Tokyo Tournament**

**Epilogue-Visions**

_Void. An empty expanse of colorless, infinite blankness. Unlike space, there is no darkness, because there is no light._

The nature of dreams is a strange thing. Dreams have multiple meanings. Some are the manifestation of a person's concerns. Others are illustrations of desire. And some are premonitions…

_Then, somewhere within the mass, a black thing appears. It is a shapeless thing that morphs its form constantly. Throughout its changing, it begins to absorb the area around it. And as it consumes, it grows._

There have been cases in the past of strange foresight in dreams. Some horrible events have been prevented from occurring due to this subconscious sight of the future…

_Now beings of light appear to battle the darkness. They are small in number, but attack the darkness with enormous fervor. Their attempts are in vain, though, and the black mass begins to slaughter and devour them, one by one._

Naturally, a rational thinker would find vague premonitions to be only coincidence, and very specific visions to be mere hoax…

_Finally only one stands against the darkness, and it is easily trampled over. The darkness, having defeated its foes, moves on, leaving only the remains of the final defender behind…_

However, some visions are true. These messages are only seen by a very few people, and it is not because of any of their personal traits. It is because the images of the future are sent to them…

_With the darkness gone, the remains of the final defender stirred…and something emerged from it…

* * *

_

The dreamer awakened with a start, their brow beaded with sweat. They had seen something that had shocked and confused them. And they had no idea why…

* * *

And now that we've reached the true end of the story, it's time to close the book. But, since technically you are not reading a book, I'm going to write my concluding statements in a different manner… 

CREDITS!

Well, technically there was no cast…so this'll kind of be short…

**Writer**

G.O.T. Nick

**Duel Script Writer**

G.O.T. Nick

**Producer**

Fanfiction. net

**Special Thanks To…**

Fanfiction. net, for giving me a place to put my story

All my reviewers and readers, for taking the time to check out my story

Digital Extremes, Epic Games, and Atari, for coming up with the "skin" that inspired Yamato

Shigeru Miyamoto, for creating a popular series of awesome games, including a certain one for a 64-bit system that inspired Lin

HAL Laboratories and Nintendo, for creating another popular series of games, one of which Kirbin is specifically based on

MGM Studios and James Cameron, for creating The Terminator series that inspired the creation of Term (wow, that's an original name…)

**Very Special Thanks To…**

My friend Shaun, who got me to begin writing in the first place

Kazuki Takahashi, for creating the Yu-Gi-Oh manga

My characters, for all the material I got out of them

Blue-Eyes Knight, for his enthusiastic words of praise and his submission of Kevin Hunter

Chuck ZFB, for inspiring me to make my own story and for being my first reviewer and his character Thunder

DaBlAcKmAnInReD, for submitting Jerry Simmons and Zachary Kiselob, though he'll probably never read this since I haven't heard from him in a while

Seeker of the Soul, for all the time we spent online talking about crap

SulliMike23, for being one of my first loyal readers and reviewers and for submitting Mike Sullivan

The Helldragon, for reading and reviewing the Finals chapters, even if he never read the stuff before them

Time Mage, for his submission of Kai Kaethen, his endless offers of assistance when I had a writer's block, and for being a good friend

Vaurnut, for reading the parts I know he read

Yoshimo, for his humorous reviews and forcing me into making an anime character to appear…just to get mauled

…and anyone else I've forgotten to mention

Until next time, this is G.O.T. Nick, signing off…

* * *

The Tokyo Tournament has ended, but a new story is just beginning…

Beneath the Surface

Coming soon…


End file.
